Truck driver found not guilty of careless driving causing death of 78-year-old woman

A JURY HAS acquitted a delivery truck driver who was on trial charged with careless driving causing the death of an elderly woman.

Justinas Marinskas (41), of Castleview Lawns, Swords, Co Dublin pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of careless driving causing the death of Eileen Dalton at Convent Lane, Dun Laoghaire on 18 February 2022.

The trial has heard that the 78-year-old woman was walking to work in Monkstown on the morning in question, when she was knocked down by a truck. Marinskas, a Lynas Foodservice truck driver, was driving the truck in order to make a delivery in Dun Laoghaire.

“As the truck driven by the accused made the turn, a collision occurred between the truck and Ms Dalton,” Justin McQuade BL said in his opening address to the jury this week. “It is the prosecution’s case that in turning left in the manner in which he did, he was guilty of careless driving.”

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The court has heard that at the time of the collision, a fire drill was taking place in nearby Bloomfields Shopping Centre and a large crowd of shoppers and workers had gathered in various evacuation spots outside.

Today, jurors heard closing speeches on behalf of the prosecution and the defence. After being put in charge by Judge Martin Nolan, the jury began deliberations this afternoon.

Just before 4pm this afternoon the jury of six men and six women unanimously found Marinskas not guilty of careless driving causing the death of Ms Dalton.

During the trial, Kevin White SC, defending, put it to forensic collision investigator Garda Gerard Dowd that some witnesses had described the woman as appearing to trip, fall forward, or be blown over.

Gda Dowd agreed with counsel that there was an extreme weather warning in place on the day.

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