Limerick woman involved in accident claimed someone else drove car into ditch

Emergency services searched in a field to find a missing person Ms Quish claimed was in the car accident

Published 16th Jul 2026, 13:55 BST Updated 16th Jul 2026, 15:36 BST Mulgrave Street Court | Iconic Emergency services searched in a field to find a missing person Ms Quish claimed was in the car accident Sign up to our Limerick Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Limerick Live within your account.

A WOMAN involved in a road incident claimed to a garda that there was a third person who was driving the car rather than herself, a court heard.

Helen Quish, 52, with an address at Oliver Plunkett Terrace, Ballylanders, appeared before Limerick District Court for her involvement in a car accident at Carraigparson, Ballysimon.

Garda Barry Morkan said in garda evidence that he came upon the scene at approximately 4.20am on November 11, 2025.

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The garda questioned Ms Quish at the scene, and determined that the car crash was caused by a the driver losing control at a sharp bend, which caused the car to go into the ditch.

Ms Quish and a second person in the car required medical attention following the accident, and emergency services attended the scene.

Garda Morkan told the court when he asked Ms Quish who was driving the car, “she said there was a third person who fire personnel were looking for, and Ms Quish couldn’t say who they were and what they looked like”.

The garda detailed that there were “firefighters looking for a third person in a field nearby”.

Garda Morkan explained to Ms Quish that more emergency personnel would be called to help search for the missing third person involved in the accident, and to knowingly waste emergency service’s time could lead to a more serious prosecution.

Garda Morkan said Ms Quish then admitted to driving the car without insurance.

Barrister Nicholas Hall, representing Ms Quish, told Judge Eamonn Carroll that Ms Quish denies driving the car that night.

Mr Hall said that Ms Quish was not observed driving the car.

Judge Carroll said: ““The account given to the garda on the night … satisfies me that she was driving the car.”

“The admission she made on the night was held until July 8”.

The judge commented that Ms Quish had been wasting time while emergency services searched in a field for the missing third person.

Inspector James Ruddle told the judge that Ms Quish has 31 previous convictions, including five for driving without insurance, three for driving without a licence, a public order offence, and a careless driving offence. At the time of the car accident, Ms Quish had been disqualified from driving.

In mitigation, Mr Hall said Ms Quish had PTSD, sciatica, and haemochromatosis. The barrister stated: “She’s had a lot of difficulties.”

Judge Carroll adjourned the case to September for Ms Quish to get a report from the Probation Service.