Gardaí have launched an investigation after a loaded gun was found in a car that was carrying two men when it crashed in Co Limerick on Tuesday. The passenger in the vehicle died and the driver fled the scene on foot before gardaí arrived.
A manhunt was under way in a bid to find the driver, with gardaí also trying to determine where the gun, believed to be a pistol, came from and what it was being used for when the three-vehicle collision occurred.
The incident happened on Monday night on the N21, between Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West. The exact cause of the crash was unclear.
The dead men is believed to be Scandinavian, though efforts to confirm his identity were continuing.
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A routine examination of their vehicle, as part of the investigation into the fatality, resulted in the discovery of the loaded gun.
It has been sent for ballistics testing, which should establish whether it was used recently. The origins of the gun and the ammunition were also under investigation.
Gardaí said the remains of the deceased have been taken to the mortuary at University Hospital Limerick, where a postmortem was due to take place. The coroner was notified.
“The driver of the first car left the scene on foot and gardaí are seeking to identify this person,” a Garda statement confirmed, also appealing for any witnesses to come forward.
“Road users who may have camera footage – including dashcam – and were travelling on the N21 from Newcastle West towards Abbeyfeale between 11pm and 11:30pm on Monday are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardaí.”
The driver and passenger in one of the other vehicles – a man in his 60s and woman in her 70s – were treated at the scene for minor injuries. A woman in her 60s driving the third car also sustained minor injuries that required medical treatment.
The N21 road was closed for technical examination by Garda specialists, and diversions were in place.
Separately, gardaí have appealed for information about a hit-and-run on Tuesday morning on the Shangan Road in Dublin at about 7.45am.
The incident involved a car and a cyclist in his 20s who was being treated in the Mater hospital for serious injuries. The car left the scene.
Anyone with information on either incident is asked to contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
