Saturday 31 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 18504Drink driving · Co. Laois

Driver charged with drink driving after single-vehicle crash at Ballaghmore, Laois

Overnight on Sunday, as Storm Isha raged, a single-vehicle collision near Ballaghmore, County Laois, left a car in a ditch. Gardaí arrested the driver on suspicion of drink driving and took them to Portlaoise Garda Station, where they failed a breath test, and the driver escaped with minor scratches. The first report was published on 23 January 2024, and a follow-up on 25 January said the driver had been charged. The driver is due to appear in court at a later date, and no sentence has been reported.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Charged23 Jan
    2 reports
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
The sources differ on the position of the car: one says it ended up on its roof in a ditch, and another says it came to a stop on a ditch in a field.
Where
The single-vehicle collision happened near Ballaghmore, County Laois.
When
The collision happened overnight on Sunday, as Storm Isha raged across the country, and the first report was published on 23 January 2024.
Cause
Gardaí arrested the driver on suspicion of drink driving.
Investigation
  • Gardaí from Abbeyleix attended the scene of the collision.
  • The driver was arrested and taken to Portlaoise Garda Station.
  • The driver failed a breath test at Portlaoise Garda Station.
Charges
Gardaí said the driver has been charged.
In court
The driver is due to appear in court at a later date.
Sentence
No sentence has been reported.
Other details
  • The driver walked away with only minor scratches.
  • The driver is not named in the sources.
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe car ended up on its roof in a ditch after the single-vehicle collision. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatA car ended up in a ditch in a field after the collision. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe collision happened near Ballaghmore, County Laois. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe collision took place at Ballaghmore in County Laois. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe collision happened overnight on Sunday, as Storm Isha raged across the country. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe crash happened on a Sunday. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationThe driver was arrested and brought to Portlaoise Garda Station. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationThe driver failed a breath test. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationGardaí attended the scene of a single vehicle road traffic collision. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationThe driver was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and taken to Portlaoise Garda Station, where they failed the breath test. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe driver has been charged to appear in court at a later date. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeGardaí said the driver has been charged. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtThe driver is due to appear in court at a later date. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherThe driver walked away with only minor scratches. (offalyexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 25 Jan2024
    Chargedoffalyexpress.ie, first report
    TERRIFYING: Driver arrested after car crashes into field in the Midlands

    Reports that the driver failed the breath test at Portlaoise Garda Station, was charged and is due to appear in court later; the driver escaped with minor scratches. The article gives only 'Sunday' as the date.

    accused
  2. 23 Jan2024
    Chargedoffalyexpress.ie, first report
    Lucky escape for Midlands driver as gardai respond to reports of car in ditch

    First report of the crash. Adds that the driver failed a breath test at Portlaoise Garda Station and has been charged to appear in court later.

    accused