A Dublin teenager was killed after a stolen motorcycle he was riding hit a tree in Finglas shortly after he had eluded gardaí during a high-speed chase on the M50 two years ago, an inquest has heard.
Jordan “Romo” Kennedy (19) of Dunsink Gardens, Finglas died in a single vehicle crash on Kilshane Road, Finglas in the early hours of April 2nd, 2021.
An inquest into his death at Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Wednesday heard that a postmortem found he had consumed cocaine and cannabis before the fatal incident, while he had also been riding a motorcycle without a safety helmet.
It concluded the victim died from multiple traumatic head injuries consistent with a single vehicle crash. Mr Kennedy worked as an apprentice at Fresh Air Conditioning Ireland in Finglas and was also a known associate of the Finglas-based crime gang boss known as “Mr Flashy.”
A store operative, Konstantinos Zanos, told the inquest he was driving home from work at around 1.25am when he noticed “something black” lying in the middle of Kilshane Road.
Mr Zanos said he was too shocked to get out of his vehicle but noticed that it was a person lying on their side with blood coming from their head.
He told the coroner, Clare Keane, that there was no movement from the victim, while he had seen no other vehicles on the road before or after coming on the scene until emergency services arrived.
The inquest heard that gardaí on patrol near the Knocklyon junction on the M50 in south Dublin had earlier that night noticed a car with no lights travelling at high speed and in an erratic manner.
Garda Miriam O’Brien said she also noticed a motorcycle being driven in a similar fashion in the same direction and was uncertain if the two vehicles were racing each other.
The two vehicles were lated spotted on the M50 near Blanchardstown, with Sergeant Jason Walsh saying they were travelling at speeds of up to 180km/h.
The sergeant said the motorcycle appeared to be alternatively swerving in front and behind the car.
Sgt Walsh said gardaí pursuing the vehicles were stood down for safety reasons and the car was later found abandoned on the side of the M50 near the Finglas exit.
Sgt Walsh told the inquest that he proceeded to Kilshane Road where an accident had been reported.
He said gardaí provided CPR to the injured party who was now known to be Mr Kennedy but he was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.26am.
The inquest heard the Yamaha high-performance, sports motorcycle had been reported stolen from Cloragh Mills Apartments on Edmonstown Road, Rathfarnham after two chains were cut off the vehicle.
The inquest heard an examination of the motorcycle by a Garda vehicle inspector found no defects that could have contributed to the fatal collision.
A forensic collision investigator, Garda Damien Farrell, said the crash occurred after the motorcyclist had failed to negotiate a bend in the road.
Although the case had been notified to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, the inquest heard no file had been forwarded to the DPP by gardaí as it had been established that no other vehicle was involved.
Detective Inspector Bronagh O’Reilly said CCTV footage showed that no other vehicle followed Mr Kennedy down Kilshane Road for eight minutes and it was another five minutes before a Garda car came along the road.
Commenting on the postmortem results, Dr Keane observed that cocaine was known to increase risk-taking behaviour in a user, while it could also impact on a person’s driving ability.
A jury of three women and three men returned a verdict of misadventure.
Solicitor for Mr Kennedy’s family, Jeffrey Kenny, said Jordan was a young man, with a big interest in horses, who was starting out in life having completed his Leaving Certificate.
Mr Kenny said the victim’s family - which included his father, Ovidu Selegeanu who attended the inquest - were appreciative of the assistance by gardaí at the scene of the crash.