Offaly school bus collision recalled as judge imposes €400 fine
A COLLISION involving a school bus was recalled at Tullamore District Court when a driver was fined €400.
Pedro Ivo De Araujo Filho, Ballydangan, Athlone, Roscommon pleaded guilty to careless driving on September 30, 2025 at Kilmanaghan, Clara.
Sergeant Richard Thornton told Judge Andrew Cody that on that afternoon a Renault failed to stop and struck the driver's side of a bus. €3,000 worth of damage was caused.
Sergeant Thornton said Mr Filho's vehicle came around on the wrong side of the road and the bus couldn't brake in time. The accused man had no previous convictions.
Defending solicitor Patrick Martin, who entered the plea of guilty on the defendant's behalf, said it was not a case where the man was on the wrong side of the road.
Mr Martin said the driver was could not have been any further over to the left hand side of the road tried to squeeze by the bus on what was a “narrow enough” road.
A 54-year-old married father of two, he worked as a fitter and was driving a work vehicle at the time. He apologised for what he had done and had “held his hands up” and pleaded guilty as early as possible.
Judge Cody imposed a fine of €400.
(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)