Five teenagers killed in County Kildare motorway crash after Garda pursuit disengaged

Five teenagers died in a head-on collision on the M9 northbound between junctions 3 and 4 in County Kildare at about 03:00 on Sunday, Gardaí and local reports say; officers had been instructed to disengage from pursuing the vehicle after it took evasive action.

Garda Representative Association assistant general secretary Tara McManus said the youths had been in the car for several hours and Gardaí had tried to stop the vehicle on multiple occasions. Officers deployed stinger devices but the car continued, at which point command and control directed members to disengage, McManus told BBC NI’s Good Morning Ulster.

Five teenagers named locally as Joe Carthy from Athy, Alex McCarthy from Carlow, Kamil Pustkowski from Limerick, Jeremy O’Brien and Jack Kennedy were killed. Two women are in critical condition, another woman is in serious condition and a seven-year-old boy is also in serious condition; the injured are understood to be from Carlow. An Garda Síochána has been contacted for comment.

McManus said roads policing officers do not have pursuit training and warned they could face serious personal consequences if they acted without appropriate training. She described the scene for attending officers as horrific and said some may require counselling for months or years to cope with the psychological impact.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The GRA said the command to disengage followed evasive action by the vehicle and deployment of stingers. The association reiterated that roads policing officers lack pursuit training and highlighted the potential need for long-term counselling for officers who attended the scene. Local broadcasts provided the names of the deceased and details about the injured, while An Garda Síochána was approached for comment.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Five teenagers were killed in a head-on crash on the M9 northbound between junctions 3 and 4 at about 03:00 on Sunday.
• Gardaí were ordered to disengage after the vehicle took evasive action despite stinger deployment, according to the Garda Representative Association.
• Two women are in critical condition, another woman and a seven-year-old boy are in serious condition; the injured are understood to be from Carlow.