Doctors told man not to drive months before death crash

THE man charged with causing the deaths of two children on the Milltown Road, Tuam last October was served with a book of evidence at Tuam District Court on Tuesday and sent forward for trial at the next sitting of Galway Circuit Court on July 2. John Oâ€â„¢Connor, 41, Waterslade Downs, Tuam faces a number of charges in relation to incidents which occurred shortly before 1 pm on a Sunday when the father of the deceased children was out walking with them and the defendantâ€â„¢s car struck the party. The book of evidence was served by Garda Noelle Kilduff, Tuam Garda Station. Along with facing a charge of dangerous driving causing death, Oâ€â„¢Connor was originally changed with intentionally or recklessly driving a vehicle while suffering an epileptic seizure, and creating a substantial risk of death to others.[private] This charge was significantly amended at Tuesdayâ€â„¢s Court and it is now alleged that he drove despite warnings from two doctors that he should not. The amendment to the charges read: That John Oâ€â„¢Connor â€Å“did intentionally or recklessly endanger, to wit, drove motor vehicle 11G1758 having previously been ordered on February 6, 2012 by Dr Joe Loftus, Palace Medical Centre, Tuam and on January 26, 2012 by Dr Lynda Oâ€â„¢Riordan, Beaumont Hospital, not to drive as you had suffered new seizure activity which created a substantial risk of death or serious harming to another while driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a public highway contrary to Section 13 of the Non-fatal Offenses Against the Persons Act.â€Â Oâ€â„¢Connor was remanded on bail and granted free legal aid. This includes his solicitor, Catherine Murphy, Headford, and one senior and one junior counsel. The most serious charge he faces is one of dangerous driving causing the deaths of two-year-old Kate Gilmore and her baby sister Grace. Oâ€â„¢Connor is also charged with dangerous driving at another location on the N17 in Tuam minutes before the collision which resulted in the deaths of the children and the injury of their father, John Gilmore. Another charge relates to a hit and run incident minutes before the fatal crash. He is charged with damaging the car of Michael Connolly. A further charge relates to making a false declaration to get a driving licence. It reads: â€Å“Did dishonestly obtain by deception a driving licence and never declared that he suffered epileptic seizures.â€Â Three charges will be heard in the Circuit Criminal Court. Dangerous driving causing death; reckless driving when he was told not to by his doctors and dishonestly obtaining a driving licence by not declaring his epilepsy. Summary charges including hit and run will be heard at Tuam District Court on December 10. [/private]