Ireland Case No. 5174Dangerous driving causing death · Co. Donegal · 25 Aug 2024
Sentenced to suspended term for dangerous driving death in Donegal
A two-car collision at Inver Glebe, Inver, Co Donegal on 25 August 2024 killed Elizabeth Cave, an 87-year-old woman from Donegal Town (some reports give 89), who died in Sligo University Hospital the following Wednesday. Martin Mittmannsgruber, a 52-year-old Austrian man, was arrested and charged with dangerous driving causing death on 28 August 2024. He affirmed a guilty plea at Donegal Circuit Court in December 2025. On 9 June 2026, Judge John Aylmer sentenced him to a 12-month prison term, suspended for 12 months, and a mandatory four-year driving disqualification.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Charged28 Aug
4 reports - In court29 Aug
5 reports - Convicted9 Dec
- Sentenced9 Jun
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A two-car collision killed Elizabeth Cave, an 87-year-old woman from Donegal Town (some reports give 89), who died in Sligo University Hospital on 28 August 2024.
- Where
- The collision took place at Inver Glebe, Inver, Co Donegal, on the N56 (some reports say N64).
- When
- The collision occurred shortly before 9am on Sunday 25 August 2024.
- Cause
- Mittmannsgruber drove on the wrong side of the road for 300 metres after a wrong turn, and his Dacia Jogger crashed head-on into Elizabeth Cave's Volkswagen Up.
- Investigation
- Garda Sergeant Oliver Devenney arrested Mittmannsgruber at 4.20pm and charged him at 6.23pm on 28 August 2024.
- Charges
- Mittmannsgruber was charged with dangerous driving causing death under Section 53(1) and 53(2) of the Road Traffic Act 2011.
- In court
- He appeared at Letterkenny District Court on 29 August 2024, was granted bail on a €6,000 deposit, and the case was adjourned to 6 November in Donegal Town.
- He was sent forward for trial to Donegal Circuit Court in December 2025 and affirmed a guilty plea before Judge John Aylmer.
- Sentence
- On 9 June 2026, Judge John Aylmer at Donegal Circuit Court imposed a headline sentence of 18 months, reduced to a 12-month prison term suspended for 12 months, a deferral until 1 December 2026, and a mandatory four-year driving disqualification.
- Other details
- Two other people, a man in his fifties and a woman in her forties, were taken to Letterkenny University Hospital.
- Mittmannsgruber, of 24A Arnberg, Wartberg, Austria, had no previous convictions in any country.
128 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA woman in her eighties died in hospital after a road traffic collision at Inver. (donegallive.ie)
- whatElizabeth Cave of Donegal Town died on Wednesday. (donegallive.ie)
- whatThree people were injured in the collision. (donegallive.ie)
- whatA man has been arrested and charged by gardaí after a two-vehicle collision in Co Donegal. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe collision killed a woman in her 80s. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe woman had been receiving treatment at Sligo University Hospital. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe woman died from her injuries earlier on the day of publication. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA two-car collision in which an 89-year-old woman died led to the court appearance. (rte.ie)
- whatElizabeth Cave died following the collision. (rte.ie)
- whatA two-car collision on Sunday morning killed a woman. (thejournal.ie)
- whatA two-car collision occurred in which an 87-year-old woman died from her injuries (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe incident was a two-car collision on a Sunday morning. (donegallive.ie)
- whatElizabeth Cave, an 87-year-old woman from Donegal Town, died from her injuries. (donegallive.ie)
- whatElizabeth Cave died on the Wednesday after the collision. (donegallive.ie)
- whatA two-car collision occurred on 25 August 2024 at Inver Glebe, Inver, Co Donegal (irishtimes.com)
- whatElizabeth Cave was rushed to Sligo University Hospital for life-saving treatment (irishtimes.com)
- whatElizabeth Cave died on Wednesday afternoon (irishtimes.com)
- whatA pensioner died in a collision in August 2024. (donegallive.ie)
- whatThe collision resulted in the death of an elderly woman. (donegallive.ie)
- whatMrs Cave was taken to Sligo University Hospital after the collision. (donegallive.ie)
- whatElizabeth Cave was rushed to Sligo University Hospital after the collision. (donegallive.ie)
- whatElizabeth Cave died the following Wednesday. (donegallive.ie)
- whatMartin Mittsmannsgruber affirmed a guilty plea over a road traffic collision that killed Elizabeth Cave. (donegallive.ie)
- whatMrs Cave died the following Wednesday after being taken to hospital. (donegallive.ie)
- whatMittmannsgruber pleaded guilty to causing the death of a Donegal woman through dangerous driving. (donegallive.ie)
- whereThe collision took place on the N56 at Inver Glebe. (donegallive.ie)
- whereThe crash happened on the N64 at Inver in the south of County Donegal. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at Inver Glebe, Inver, Co Donegal. (rte.ie)
- whereThe collision happened at Inver Glebe, Inver, Co Donegal. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe collision took place at Inver Glebe, Inver, Co Donegal (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe collision happened at Inver Glebe, Inver. (donegallive.ie)
- whereThe offence is alleged to have happened at Inver Glebe, Inver. (donegallive.ie)
- whereThe incident happened at Inver Glebe, Donegal. (donegallive.ie)
- whereThe collision happened at Inver Glebe, Donegal. (donegallive.ie)
- whenThe collision happened shortly before 9am on a Sunday. (donegallive.ie)
- whenThe crash happened on a Sunday morning at 9am. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe man was arrested on Wednesday. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe collision happened on a Sunday morning. (rte.ie)
- whenMrs Cave died in the afternoon after the collision. (rte.ie)
- whenThe collision happened on 25 August 2024. (thejournal.ie, donegallive.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred on 25 August 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe offence is alleged to have happened on August 25, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred on August 25, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
- whenThe collision happened on the morning of Sunday, August 25, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
- whenThe death was caused on August 25, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
- causeMittmannsgruber drove on the wrong side of the National Road between Donegal Town and Killybegs for 300 metres after a wrong turn. (donegallive.ie)
- causeHis Dacia Jogger crashed head-on into Elizabeth Cave's Volkswagen Up, which was in the correct lane. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationA garda sergeant said the accused was arrested at 4.20pm and charged at 6.23pm. (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí arrested the accused on 28 August at 4.20pm and charged him at 6.23pm. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGarda Sergeant Oliver Devenney arrested Mittmansgruber on 28 August at 4:20pm (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationMittmansgruber was charged at 6:23pm on 28 August (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí arrested Mittmansgruber on the Wednesday at 4.20pm and charged him at 6.23pm. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationGarda Sergeant Oliver Devenney told the court he arrested and charged Mittmansgruber on Wednesday (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe accused was arrested and brought before Letterkenny District Court. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationGardaí arrested the accused at Portnason, Ballyshannon, before the court sitting. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeA man was arrested and charged by gardaí. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeThe man was arrested and charged as part of the fatal crash investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMartin Mittmansgruber was charged with dangerous driving. (rte.ie)
- chargeThe charge alleges the dangerous driving caused serious bodily harm to Mrs Cave. (rte.ie)
- chargeThe charge is brought under Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act, 2011. (rte.ie)
- chargeOther charges are being considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions. (rte.ie, thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie, donegallive.ie, irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe accused was charged with dangerous driving. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeMittmansgruber was charged with dangerous driving contrary to Section 53(1) and 53(2) of the Road Traffic Act, 2011 (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMittmansgruber was charged with dangerous driving. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeThe charge is under sections 53(1) and 53(2) of the Road Traffic Act, 2011. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeMittmansgruber was charged with dangerous driving on 25 August 2024 at Inver Glebe, Inver, Co Donegal which caused serious bodily harm to Elizabeth Cave (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe accused is charged with driving dangerously and causing serious bodily harm to Elizabeth Cave. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeThe accused was charged with dangerous driving causing death. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeHe is charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Elizabeth Cave. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeHe is charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Ms Cave. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe man is due to appear before Letterkenny District Court on 29 August at 10.30am. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe man is due to appear before Letterkenny District Court the following morning. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe accused did not speak during the brief appearance. (rte.ie)
- courtThe accused was assigned a German interpreter. (rte.ie)
- courtWhen charged, the accused said he had nothing to add. (rte.ie)
- courtThere was an in-principle objection to bail because the accused lives outside the jurisdiction. (rte.ie)
- courtStrict bail conditions could be imposed, including appearing in court in person. (rte.ie)
- courtA sum of €6,000 was lodged in court on behalf of the accused. (rte.ie, thejournal.ie, donegallive.ie)
- courtThe defence asked for the case to be adjourned to 6 November in Donegal town. (rte.ie)
- courtThe judge agreed to the adjournment and signed off on the bail conditions. (rte.ie)
- courtThe accused appeared at Letterkenny District Court. (thejournal.ie)
- courtGardaí said there was in principle an objection to bail because the accused lives outside the jurisdiction. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge granted bail on strict conditions. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe solicitor asked for the case to be adjourned to November 6th in Donegal Town. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThere was in principle an objection to bail because the accused lives outside the jurisdiction (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- court€6,000 was lodged in court on behalf of the accused (irishmirror.ie, donegallive.ie, irishtimes.com)
- courtSolicitor Gerry McGovern asked the court to adjourn the case until 6 November in Donegal Town (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJudge Ciaran Liddy agreed to the adjournment and signed off on bail conditions (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe accused did not speak during the brief appearance and was assigned a German interpreter. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThere was an objection to bail in principle because the accused lives outside the jurisdiction. (donegallive.ie)
- courtBail conditions proposed include appearing in court in person, good behaviour, and staying contactable by phone and email with gardaí. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe judge agreed to adjourn the case and approved the bail conditions. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe solicitor asked for the case to be adjourned until November 6 in Donegal Town. (donegallive.ie)
- courtBail conditions include appearing in court in person, being of good behaviour, and remaining contactable by phone and email with gardaí (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe case was adjourned until 6 November in Donegal Town (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Ciaran Liddy signed off on the bail conditions (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe accused lived outside the jurisdiction, which was an objection to bail. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe book of evidence was ready and was to be served at Ballyshannon District Court on December 5. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe accused was to be sent forward to Donegal Circuit Court in Letterkenny from December 9. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe DPP consented to the accused being sent forward for trial. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe accused was sent forward for trial to the circuit court on continuing bail of €6,000. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe accused was granted bail on the conditions requested by gardaí. (donegallive.ie)
- courtJudge Éiteáin Cunningham sent the accused forward for trial on continuing bail of €6,000. (donegallive.ie)
- courtJudge Aylmer adjourned sentencing until June. (donegallive.ie)
- courtJudge John Aylmer sentenced him at Donegal Circuit Court. (donegallive.ie)
- courtThe court heard he had no previous convictions in any country. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceBail was granted on conditions requested by gardaí. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceSentencing is expected next summer. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceThe headline sentence was 18 months' imprisonment before mitigation. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceHe was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and a mandatory four-year disqualification. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceA deferral was imposed until December 1, 2026. (donegallive.ie)
- otherA man in his fifties and a woman in her forties were taken to Letterkenny University Hospital. (donegallive.ie)
- otherThe woman was one of three people injured in the crash. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMrs Cave was taken to Sligo University Hospital after the crash. (rte.ie)
- otherThe victim, Elizabeth Cave, was an 87-year-old woman from Donegal Town. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused replied "I have nothing to add" when charged. (thejournal.ie)
- otherElizabeth Cave died the afternoon after the collision. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused is 50 years old (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherA German interpreter was assigned to the accused (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe accused's address is 24A Arnberg, Wartberg, Austria (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe victim was rushed to Sligo University Hospital for life-saving treatment (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe victim passed away on the afternoon of 28 August (irishmirror.ie)
- otherWhen charged, Mittmansgruber said he had nothing to add. (donegallive.ie)
- otherThe accused was assigned a German interpreter at court (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe accused has an address at 24A Arnberg, Wartberg, Austria (irishtimes.com)
- otherMrs Cave died the following Wednesday. (donegallive.ie)
- otherThe judge certified for an interpreter to be in court. (donegallive.ie)
- otherThe accused replied 'I'm sorry' after caution. (donegallive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 9 Jun2026Suspended sentence for Austrian charged over Donegal woman's death
Reports the sentencing hearing at Donegal Circuit Court. The incident occurred in August 2024.
convicted, Martin Mittmannsgruber, 52, male, Austrian, named, non-irishMartin Mittmannsgrubervictim, Elizabeth Cave, 89, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Cave - 9 Dec2025Man charged over death of Donegal woman to be sentenced next year
Adds that the guilty plea was affirmed at Donegal Circuit Court, that sentencing was adjourned until June, that the accused is 52 and lives in Austria, and that he was released on continuing bail of €6,000.
victim, Elizabeth Cave, femaleElizabeth Caveconvicted, Martin Mittsmannsgruber, 52, male, Austrian, named, non-irishMartin Mittsmannsgruber - 5 Dec2025‘I’m sorry’ says man charged with dangerous driving causing death of Donegal woman
Reports that the accused was re-arrested, charged and sent forward for trial at Donegal Circuit Court. Adds the DPP consent, the bail terms of €6,000 and the garda evidence of arrest and the accused's 'I'm sorry' reply.
accused, Martin Mittsmannsgruber, 52, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Martin Mittsmannsgrubervictim, Elizabeth Cave, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Cave - 29 Nov2025Driver charged over fatal crash to be sent forward to Donegal circuit court
Book of evidence to be served on 5 December at Ballyshannon District Court, with the accused to be sent forward to Donegal Circuit Court in Letterkenny from 9 December. Bail was granted on conditions. Adds that the victim, Elizabeth Cave, died the following Wednesday.
accused, Martin Mittmansgruber, 52, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Martin Mittmansgrubervictim, Elizabeth Cave, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Cave - 29 Aug2024Man charged with dangerous driving after death of woman (87) in Donegal road crash
First court appearance; charged with dangerous driving; granted bail with conditions including €6,000 deposit; case adjourned to 6 November in Donegal Town; other charges under consideration by the DPP.
victim, Elizabeth Cave, 87, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Caveaccused, Martin Mittmansgruber, 50, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Martin Mittmansgruber - 29 Aug2024Man charged with dangerous driving after death of woman (87) in south Donegal crash
Reports the accused's first court appearance at Letterkenny District Court on the charge: his arrest and charge times, the bail objection and conditions, the €6,000 lodged, the possibility of further charges, the German interpreter, and the adjournment to November 6 in Donegal Town.
victim, Elizabeth Cave, 87, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Caveaccused, Martin Mittmansgruber, 50, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Martin Mittmansgruber - 29 Aug2024Austrian man in court following crash that claimed life of woman, 87, in Donegal
First court appearance; charged with dangerous driving under Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act 2011; bail conditions set including €6,000 deposit; case adjourned to 6 November in Donegal Town; other charges under consideration by the DPP.
victim, Elizabeth Cave, 87, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Caveaccused, Martin Mittmansgruber, 50, male, Austrian, named, non-irishMartin Mittmansgruber - 29 Aug2024Austrian man charged over collision that killed 87-year-old woman in Donegal
Adds the court appearance at Letterkenny District Court, the charge details, the arrest and charge times, the bail conditions and the adjournment to November 6th in Donegal Town. The victim is named as Elizabeth Cave, an 87-year-old woman.
accused, Martin Mittmansgruber, 50, male, namedMartin Mittmansgrubervictim, Elizabeth Cave, 87, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Cave - 29 Aug2024Man charged with dangerous driving over fatal crash
Reports the accused's charge and first court appearance at Letterkenny District Court on 29 August 2024: bail conditions, the €6,000 lodgement, an adjournment to 6 November in Donegal town, and a possible further DPP charge. Adds the charge wording (serious bodily harm to Mrs Cave), the arrest and charge times, and the German interpreter.
accused, Martin Mittmansgruber, 50, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Martin Mittmansgrubervictim, Elizabeth Cave, 89, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Cave - 28 Aug2024Man charged as woman, 80s, dies in hospital days after Donegal crash
First report of the arrest and charge of a man in his 50s over the fatal Inver crash. The woman, named locally as Elizabeth Cave, died in Sligo University Hospital on 28 August. The article also gives the Garda contact details for anyone with information.
victim, Elizabeth Cave, 80s, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Caveaccused, 50s, male - 28 Aug2024Man arrested and charged following fatal road crash at Inver
Confirms the man was arrested and charged on 28 August 2024, gives his age range as 50s, and says he is due at Letterkenny District Court on 29 August at 10.30am. Adds that a man in his fifties and a woman in her forties were treated at Letterkenny University Hospital. Does not name the accused.
victim, Elizabeth Cave, 80s, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Caveaccused, 50s, malevictim, 50s, malevictim, 40s, female