Teen injured in motorway crash near Naas leaves hospital

Gardai have confirmed that the teenager who was injured in the car crash on the N7 last Thursday, December 28, has left hospital.

Unlike his companions in the car which was stopped as part of a Garda enquiry into an alleged burglary in Athy, the teen was not arrested, and not being actively sought by Gardai, a spokesperson said.

The 16 year old was being treated for a head injury in Tallaght Hospital and was thought to be in critical condition, but only three days later, on Sunday afternoon, he left the hosptial. A Garda spokesperson was unable to confirm whether the teen was discharged from hospital or he left of his own accord. “That’s nothing to do with us, it’s a matter for the HSE. However, we do know that he left under his own steam.”

The crash occurred last Thursday, December 28. Gardai had received a report of a burglary at a house in Athy where the intruders were disturbed and fled from the scene in a waiting car when the occupants of the house returned home. During a follow up operation members of a Garda anti-burglary unit intercepted a car on the N7 Naas Road at approximately 3.45pm. The car initially stopped for Gardaí but when approached took off a speed in the direction of Dublin.

According to Gardai, moments later this car was involved in a collision with a second car at on the N7 at junction 8, Johnstown. While one of the young men, was injured in the collision and taken by ambulance to Tallaght Hospital, three other youths, all male and understood to be in their teens, were arrested during follow up searches near the crash site a short time later. 

They appeared before a special sitting of Naas District Court the following day.