Family of homeless woman killed by truck untraced
The family of a 31-year-old homeless woman who died after being struck by a truck on Dublin’s quays could not be located, her inquest heard tonight.
Sgt Michael Fortune, from the regional traffic division in Dublin Castle, said he had tried in vain to inform relations of Lisa Perkins, who was temporarily staying at the Park Lodge Hostel, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, since her death on September 28, 2004.
The inquest heard the last known address for Ms Perkins’ mother was in Cardiff, and the deceased had also lived in Birmingham for a period but had been located in Ireland for many years.
“No-one was contactable whatsoever,” he said, adding her funeral was paid for by the state.
“I think her mother is possibly homeless as well. I think there have been extensive inquiries through police, Interpol and health boards and they haven’t been able to find anything.”
Sgt Fortune said Ms Perkins’ partner, Bernard McCabe, who had identified her, could not be located.
Ian Rieber, the truck driver, told the inquest he noticed a group of five people standing on the footpath as he stopped at a traffic lights on Usher’s Quay.
After he drove on again, Mr Rieber said: “The steering wheel shuddered as if I had hit a pot hole.”
Mr Rieber, who was treated for shock after the incident, said he looked down spotting a rucksack and when he jumped out of the vehicle he saw a person trapped under the front wheel.
The driver said he never noticed the woman walking towards him and he always checked the left hand side and the front of the truck before moving off.
Catherine Killoran told the inquest she was driving along the south quay behind the tractor unit of a truck on September 15 last year, when she noticed a woman apparently arguing with four or five other people.
“As the light turned green, she turned towards the tractor unit and appeared to try to climb up towards the cab,” she said, adding that she could see the driver checking his mirrors as he pulled off. “I thought she had climbed up, as she disappeared.”
But she said a second later the truck stopped and the driver jumped out.
“It all happened in an instant and there was nothing the driver could have done to avoid it,” she said.
Sgt Michael Fortune said there was no third party involvement in the death and she may have just stumbled or walked straight out under the vehicle.
The sergeant said she may have been intoxicated at the time as there was a strong smell of alcohol at the scene, and the other homeless people at the scene were highly intoxicated.
Gda Patrick McCallion, a public service vehicle inspector at Dublin Castle, said the driver had a clear view of the area of the left front wheel.
“There was excellent visibility of close proximity there was a mirror fitted in this vehicle which enhances driver view,” he said.
The inquest heard she died 13 days after the accident from multi-organ failure and sepsis.
The jury passed a verdict of accidental death, and Dublin City Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said: “If the family do come forward in the future the inquest papers will be given to them.”
