Tourist’s big hurry ends up in court

Advertising salesman, Paul DeGrandmont (72), got a taste of Irish justice when he was arrested in the middle of his week-long visit to the West of Ireland and taken in custody to Galway District Court on Monday after road workers complained of his dangerous driving.

Garda Nicholas Delaney told the court he arrested DeGrandmont near Gort at 2.10pm that afternoon after workers complained he had driven through the “Stop and Go” system in operation at road works near Rocklands, Oranmore, which was 27 km away.

Garda Delaney explained he had brought the accused straight to court because he was due to return home to Canada this Thursday.

He explained DeGrandmont kept blowing his horn and shouting at road workers while his car was stopped in a queue at the road works earlier that day.

When the sign was turned to “Go”, sixteen cars in front of him were let through, but the sign turned to ‘Stop” as DeGrandmont’s car approached.

He became irate at being stopped and “nudged” the sign which a road worker was carrying. Garda Delaney said other workers had to jump out of the way as DeGrandmont drove past them.

“He became upset with the large amount of road works in the area and the delays,” Garda Delaney added.

Defence solicitor, Sarah O’Dowd said her client was now sorry for what happened but he had told her it is commonplace in Canada for drivers to honk their horns and shout at road workers if there are delays.

Judge Fahy reminded the accused that he was on holiday in Ireland and he should be relaxing himself.  “He should calm down.  Why should he carry on like he does in Canada?” she asked.

In reply to Judge Fahy, DeGrandmont’s wife, admitted her husband was an impatient driver at the best of times.

Despite his plea to dangerous driving, DeGrandmont remained unrepentant. “I think I had reasons to do what I did,” he said.

“You are on holiday, you are supposed to be relaxing,” Judge Fahy pointed out.

Inspector Brendan Carroll refused an application by Ms O’Dowd to have the lesser charge of careless driving substituted for the charge of dangerous driving.

“He still insisted on driving through the Stop sign and he kept nudging it. That is my concern,” he said.

Judge Fahy agreed and she convicted DeGrandmont of dangerous driving.

She fined him €400, which was paid by the accused straight away, and she disqualified him from driving for two years.

She explained that he could continue driving his rental car for the rest of his holiday as the disqualification order would not come into effect for 15 days.

She also advised him that the disqualification would have no effect on his driving record once he returned to Canada.