# Sentencing adjourned for teenager over death of nurse in Limerick Case 37. Dangerous driving causing death, Co. Limerick, 2026-02-13 **TL;DR:** Nurse Áine O'Reilly, 33, from Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, died when her car was struck on the N24 at Grange West, Boher, shortly after 11pm on Friday 13 February 2026 as she drove to a night shift at Shannondoc in Limerick City. Keelan O'Connell, a 19-year-old man from Scanlon Park, Castleconnell, was allegedly driving a VW Golf at excess speed while under the influence of cannabis and fast gas when he attempted to undertake a Peugeot driven by Ukrainian national Oleksii Horshkov, forcing it into Ms O'Reilly's Nissan Micra; he and two passengers fled the scene, and he presented himself to gardaí the following day. Garda Tony Burke arrested O'Connell at his home on 19 March 2026 and he was charged with dangerous driving causing death, driving without a licence or insurance, and later three further hit-and-run related offences; Judge Patricia Harney refused bail and he has been in custody since March. He pleaded guilty to eight charges before Judge Colin Daly at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court in October 2026, and at a sentencing hearing on 11 November 2026, where victim impact statements were read, Judge Mary Morrissey adjourned sentencing to 17 November 2026. **Stage:** Convicted. Reported stages: Reported (2026-02-14), Arrested (2026-03-19), Charged (2026-03-20), In court (2026-03-01), Convicted (2026-11-10) ## People - Victim: Áine O'Reilly, woman, 33 - Victim: Áine O'Reilly, woman - Victim: Oleksii Horshkov, Ukrainian man - Suspect: Keelan O'Connell, man, 19 - Suspect: Keelan O'Connell, man, 19 ## Key facts **What happened** - Nurse Áine O'Reilly, 33, from Pallasgreen, died when her car was struck in a three-car collision while she was driving to a night shift at the Shannondoc out-of-hours GP service in Limerick City. **Where** - The collision happened on the N24 at Grange West, Boher, Co Limerick, a short distance from Ms O'Reilly's family home in Pallasgreen. **When** - The collision occurred at approximately 11.10pm on Friday 13 February 2026. **Cause** - It was alleged Keelan O'Connell drove a black 2007 VW Golf at excess speed and attempted a dangerous manoeuvre to undertake a Peugeot, colliding with it and forcing it into the path of Ms O'Reilly's Nissan Micra. **Other details** - O'Connell and two occupants of his car fled the scene on foot without offering assistance, leaving the significantly damaged car about 107 metres from the collision site. - O'Connell admitted to gardaí he was under the influence of cannabis and fast gas, had been driving up to 200 km/h, had no licence or insurance and was disqualified, and was driving an unregistered car won in a Facebook raffle about a week and a half earlier. - O'Connell described his driving as stupid and careless, said he was going too fast to control the car and admitted the collision was completely his fault, while road conditions, visibility and defects in the cars did not contribute. - The Peugeot driver, Ukrainian national Oleksii Horshkov, suffered a fractured spine and psychological trauma, and a man in his 40s involved in the crash was treated at University Hospital Limerick for non-life-threatening injuries. **Investigation** - Gardaí appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage, and the evidence against O'Connell included independent witnesses, CCTV and dash cam footage harvested from the Peugeot. - O'Connell presented himself to gardaí the day after the collision and admitted being the driver, and Garda Tony Burke arrested him at his home in Castleconnell at 7.42am on 19 March 2026, detaining him under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. **Charges** - O'Connell was charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Áine O'Reilly, driving without a licence and without insurance, and later with three further offences under Section 106(1) of the Road Traffic Act for failing to offer assistance and failing to report the collision. **In court** - Judge Patricia Harney refused O'Connell bail at Limerick District Court after garda objections and he was remanded in custody, with the DPP later directing trial on indictment. - O'Connell pleaded guilty to eight charges, including dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, hit-and-run offences and driving without a licence or insurance, before Judge Colin Daly at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court in October 2026. - At a sentencing hearing on 11 November 2026, victim impact statements from the O'Reilly family were delivered and dash-cam footage was played, and Judge Mary Morrissey adjourned sentencing to 17 November 2026, with O'Connell remanded in custody. ## Reports (31) | Date | Outlet | Report | |---|---|---| | 2026-02-14 | extra.ie | [Woman dies as Gardai appeal for driver who fled three-car crash](https://extra.ie/2026/02/14/news/irish-news/gardai-crash-limerick-fatal) | | 2026-02-15 | limerickleader.ie | [UPDATE: Fatal Limerick hit-and-run collision victim named as gardai follow 'definite line of inquiry'](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/update-fatal-limerick-hit-and-run-collision-victim-named-as-gardai-follow-definite-line-of-inquiry-6627745) | | 2026-02-15 | limerickpost.ie | [Tributes pour in for nurse killed in hit and run as Limerick Gardaí follow 'definite' line of enquiry](https://www.limerickpost.ie/2026/02/15/tributes-pour-in-for-nurse-killed-in-hit-and-run-as-limerick-gardai-follow-definite-line-of-enquiry/) | | 2026-02-15 | limerickleader.ie | [Funeral arrangements announced for Limerick nurse killed in hit-and-run collision](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/funeral-arrangements-announced-for-limerick-nurse-killed-in-hit-and-run-collision-6627604) | | 2026-02-15 | limerickpost.ie | [Funeral details announced for nurse killed in hit and run on her way to work](https://www.limerickpost.ie/2026/02/15/funeral-details-announced-for-nurse-killed-in-hit-and-run-on-her-way-to-work/) | | 2026-02-15 | tipperarylive.ie | [RIP: Nurse killed in hit-and-run crash on Tipperary/Limerick road](https://www.tipperarylive.ie/news/tipperary-town/rip-nurse-killed-in-hit-and-run-crash-on-tipperarylimerick-road-6627474) | | 2026-02-18 | limerickpost.ie | [Limerick nurse killed in hit and run collision was full of “caring and kindness”](https://www.limerickpost.ie/2026/02/18/limerick-nurse-killed-in-hit-and-run-collision-was-full-of-caring-and-kindness/) | | 2026-03-01 | thejournal.ie | [Man (19) appears in court charged with dangerous driving causing death of nurse Áine O'Reilly](https://www.thejournal.ie/man-charges-dangerous-driving-causing-death-aine-oreilly-6990848-Mar2026/) | | 2026-03-19 | limerickleader.ie | [BREAKING: Teenager arrested over death of Limerick nurse Áine O'Reilly in road traffic collision](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/crime-courts/breaking-teenager-arrested-over-death-of-limerick-nurse-aine-oreilly-in-road-traffic-collision-6601416) | | 2026-03-19 | limerickpost.ie | [Arrest made in connection to fatal hit and run crash](https://www.limerickpost.ie/2026/03/19/arrest-made-in-connection-to-fatal-hit-and-run-crash/) | | 2026-03-19 | irishtimes.com | [Teenager arrested over hit-and-run that killed Limerick nurse](https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2026/03/19/gardai-arrest-teenager-over-hit-and-run-that-killed-limerick-nurse/) | | 2026-03-19 | irishmirror.ie | [Gardai arrest teen over collision that claimed life of nurse Áine O'Reilly](https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/gardai-arrest-teenager-over-horror-36893023) | | 2026-03-20 | irishmirror.ie | [Teen charged after fatal crash that killed nurse Áine O’Reilly](https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/gardai-charge-teenager-over-horror-36896990) | | 2026-03-20 | corkbeo.ie | [Teen charged over Limerick hit and run that claimed life of young nurse](https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/teen-charged-nurse-road-death-33622130) | | 2026-03-20 | limerickleader.ie | [Man charged in relation to the death of a Limerick nurse in a three-car collision](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/man-charged-in-relation-to-the-death-of-a-limerick-nurse-in-a-three-car-collision-6600484) | | 2026-03-20 | tipperarylive.ie | [BREAKING: Teenager charged over collision that caused the death of Limerick nurse](https://www.tipperarylive.ie/news/breaking-teenager-charged-over-collision-that-caused-the-death-of-limerick-nurse-6600482) | | 2026-03-20 | limerickpost.ie | [BREAKING: Teenager charged with hit and run which killed nurse](https://www.limerickpost.ie/2026/03/20/breaking-teenager-charged-with-hit-and-run-which-killed-nurse/) | | 2026-03-20 | limerickpost.ie | [Man charged with causing nurse’s death was high on “cannabis and fast gas”](https://www.limerickpost.ie/2026/03/20/man-charged-with-causing-nurses-death-was-high-on-cannabis-and-fast-gas/) | | 2026-03-20 | limerickleader.ie | [Teenager charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a County Limerick nurse](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/teenager-charged-with-dangerous-driving-causing-the-death-of-a-county-limerick-nurse-6600105) | | 2026-03-20 | irishtimes.com | [Accused man high on cannabis and ‘fast gas’ at time of fatal Co Limerick crash, garda says](https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2026/03/20/accused-man-high-on-cannabis-and-fast-gas-at-time-of-fatal-co-limerick-crash-garda-says/) | | 2026-05-27 | limerickleader.ie | [Teen charged with dangerous driving causing death of Limerick nurse faces further charges](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/crime-courts/teen-charged-with-dangerous-driving-causing-death-of-limerick-nurse-faces-further-charges-8644482) | | 2026-08-05 | limerickleader.ie | [Teen charged with dangerous driving causing death charged with three more offences](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/crime-courts/teen-charged-with-dangerous-driving-causing-death-of-limerick-nurse-charged-with-three-more-offences-8840428) | | 2026-08-12 | limerickleader.ie | [Limerick teenager in court over death of nurse expected to face additional charge](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/crime-courts/limerick-teenager-in-court-over-death-of-nurse-expected-to-face-additional-charge-8915575) | | 2026-10-19 | limerickleader.ie | [Teen pleads guilty to causing the death of Limerick nurse](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/crime-courts/teen-pleads-guilty-to-causing-the-death-of-limerick-nurse-9296380) | | 2026-10-19 | irishtimes.com | [Limerick teenager pleads guilty to hit-and-run that killed nurse Áine O’Reilly](https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2026/10/19/limerick-teenager-pleads-guilty-to-hit-and-run-that-killed-nurse-aine-oreilly/) | | 2026-10-19 | rte.ie | [Man pleads guilty to fatal hit and run in Limerick](https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/1019/1596001-keelan-oconnell-court/) | | 2026-10-20 | extra.ie | [Teen pleads guilty over hit-and-run that killed nurse on her way to work](https://extra.ie/2026/10/20/news/courts/teen-pleads-guilty-hit-and-run) | | 2026-11-10 | rte.ie | [Man remanded over Limerick hit-and-run that killed nurse](https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2026/1110/1598686-limerick-court-hit-and-run/) | | 2026-11-10 | limerickleader.ie | [‘I didn’t mean to kill her,’ says Limerick teenage driver ‘high’ on drugs](https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/crime-courts/i-didnt-mean-to-kill-her-says-limerick-teenage-driver-high-on-drugs-9342710) | | 2026-11-11 | thejournal.ie | [Father of nurse killed by disqualified driver says family left with 'life sentence' of grief](https://www.thejournal.ie/aine-oreilly-driver-sentencing-7222769-Nov2026/) | | 2026-11-11 | limerickpost.ie | [Family of nurse killed by hit-and-run drug-driver left with ‘life sentence’ of grief](https://www.limerickpost.ie/2026/11/11/family-of-nurse-killed-by-hit-and-run-drug-driver-left-with-life-sentence-of-grief/) | HTML: https://irelandcrime.com/case/sentencing-adjourned-for-teenager-over-death-of-nurse-in-limerick-37 This page is put together automatically from the reports listed above. 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