Garda Michael Ball, with an address at Drogheda Garda Station, appeared before Dundalk District Court on Tuesday, December 9
Garda Michael Ball
This is the member of An Garda Siochana who has appeared in court charged with a fatal alleged hit and run that claimed the life of a popular GAA coach.
Garda Michael Ball, aged in his 30s, with an address at Drogheda Garda Station, appeared before Dundalk District Court on Tuesday, December 9. This comes after the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that Mr Ball, who has been suspended from duty, be charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Niall McEneaney on March 17, 2024 and failing to keep the vehicle at the scene.
The dangerous driving charge is that Mr Ball “in a public place, drove a vehicle in a manner including speed, which having regard to all the circumstances of the case, was dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of another person, namely Niall McEneaney, contrary to Section 53(1) and 53(2) of the Road Traffic Act.” Mr Ball is also charged with failing to keep the vehicle at the scene of the incident ‘whilst knowing that Niall McEneaney was dead’ or ‘being reckless as to whether the injury so caused resulted in his death, and did so with intent to escape civil or criminal liability. This offence is contrary to Section 106 (1) (B) and Section 106 (3)(AB) of the Road Traffic Act 2006.
Hit-and-run crash victim Niall McEneaney who died after being hit by a car in Drogheda
After appearing before Dundalk District Court, charged with the above two offences, the case was adjourned until a date in January. Earlier we reported that Fiosru, formerly Garda Ombudsman Commission, investigated the fatal incident and a file went to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who has directed that Mr Ball be charged.
Niall MacEneaney, 42, was struck by a vehicle – a private car that was allegedly registered to a serving garda who was off-duty at the time – on the Rathmullan Road in Drogheda, Co Louth last year. The popular GAA coach was found dead in the early hours of St Patrick’s Day morning on Sunday, March 17, 2024. Last April Mr Ball was arrested in connection to the investigation into the horror incident that claimed the life of Mr MacEneaney. He was interviewed by the Garda Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), now Fiosru, who led the investigation into the incident.
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