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Teenage chess enthusiast killed by garda patrol car  AN
INVESTIGATION is under way after a teenage chess enthusiast died after
he was struck by a garda patrol car.
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is inquiring into
how 19-year-old Philip Hogarty from Jobstown in Dublin was struck by the
garda vehicle in Tallaght in the early hours of the morning.
Mr Hogarty suffered severe injuries to his head and body in the collision
and died 15 hours later.
The accident happened when the teenager was struck by the garda car on
the N81 Blessington Road close to the Jobstown House pub.
Mr Hogarty was taken to the Adelaide and Meath Hospital in Tallaght and
placed on a life support machine as family and friends maintained a bedside
vigil.
But he died 15 hours later.
The victim was a member of Rathmines Chess Club and unofficial chairman
of the Irish Chess Union.
He was also a Bolton Wanderers FC supporter.
Irish Chess Union spokesman Steve Stokes said the incident had shocked
the entire chess community in Ireland.
He said: “Philip has an intense passion for chess and the whole
chess community is in shock at the moment.”
He had played in the Masters section of the Leinster Championships just
last weekend and Mr Stokes said he was extremely popular with others in
the chess fraternity.
“He had a real passion for life and the thoughts and prayers of
everyone in the chess community are with him and his family,” he
said.
The patrol car involved in the accident was not in pursuit of anyone at
the time of the tragedy.
The gardaí also confirmed Mr Hogarty had no connection at all with
any investigation.
Those in the patrol car will be interviewed as part of the investigation
and the commission will also want to find out other details such as the
speed the car was travelling at when the collision occurred.
It is the second time the commission has had a case referred to it by
the force in the past few days.
It also launched an investigation after a man, who had been detained at
Terenure Garda Station in Dublin on foot for a number of outstanding warrants,
was found to have died in his cell.
More than 200 cases have been referred to the commission by the gardaí
since it began its operations last year.
Mr Hogarty’s death is the second in a year as a result of a car
accident in which a garda was at the wheel. |
