Wednesday 28 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. 3653Road traffic collision (fatal) · Co. Kildare · 13 Mar 2024

Taxi driver Aidan O'Brien, 49, found dead by misadventure after M4 collision near Kilcock

Aidan O'Brien, 49, a taxi driver from Edenderry, Co Offaly, was killed in a collision on the M4 near Kilcock, Co Kildare, on 13 March 2024. The inquest at Kildare Coroner's Court heard his blood alcohol concentration was 406mg/100ml, eight times the legal limit, and the coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court5 Mar
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
15 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe stopped taxi was struck from behind by a Volkswagen Caddy van around eight minutes later. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe front passenger tyre had slightly shorter height and sidewall measurements than the others. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe tyre mismatch could cause serious instability and might be considered dangerously defective under Section 54 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatNo mechanical defects were found with the 211-KK reg Volkswagen Caddy. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatVan driver Thomas Murray tested negative for alcohol and drugs. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMurray was in shock but suffered no physical injuries. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwo mobile phones and a bottle of Jägermeister were recovered from the vehicle. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatPostmortem showed a blood alcohol concentration of 406mg per 100ml of blood, against a legal limit of 50mg. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe coroner said it was one of the highest BAC readings she had seen in recent years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe crash occurred on the westbound carriageway of the M4 near Junction 8, Kilcock, Co Kildare. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe taxi crashed into a motorway barrier at 11:26pm on 13 March 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe road surface was wet and it was raining with reduced visibility at the time. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenA doctor pronounced O'Brien dead at the scene at 1:10am on 14 March 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThe cause of death was attributed to multiple traumatic injuries due to a road traffic collision as a result of acute ethanol intoxication. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 5 Mar2026
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Taxi driver killed in M4 collision was eight times over the limit, inquest told

    Inquest findings: BAC of 406mg/100ml (8x legal limit), front passenger tyre anomaly noted, no mechanical defects on second vehicle, verdict of death by misadventure returned by Coroner Loretta Nolan.

    victim, Aidan O'Brien, 49, male, irish (judged from name)Aidan O'Brien