Garda facing dangerous driving charges said fatal crash could have been avoided if pedestrian hadn't sped up

Mr Farrell has pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Mrs Core at Fonthill Road South, Dublin, on August 28, 2014.

On day four of the trial, James Butler, an investigations officer with the Garda Ombudsman, told the court that he received a statement from the defendant on September 30, 2014.

Garda Farrell stated that the patrol car siren was deactivated for only a few seconds when he and his passenger Garda Declan Bambrick requested information about the incident over the car radio. He said the siren was reactivated.

Gda Farrell said that he saw Mrs Core beginning to cross the road on the other side. He said that he assessed the situation and was satisfied that she would be alerted by the patrol car's flashing blue lights and sirens.

He said she continued to walk across and he was surprised. He said that she was not reacting as expected and did not seem to be reacting to the car's flashing blue lights or sirens.

He said in an effort to avoid her he entered bus lane but she began walking even faster, he stated.

“I attempted to try to mount the footpath. In trying to do so, the front near side left tyre burst,” he said. The front right of the car hit Mrs Core and she was thrown onto the front windscreen.

He said he is satisfied that if Mrs Core had stopped as he had anticipated the collision would not have occurred and if she had not sped up her walking, a collision could have been avoided.

He said, “Elizabeth Core's actions were completely unexpected and I cannot explain them”.

The trial continues.