A man who crashed into a parked garda car and almost knocked down two pedestrians during a high speed chase has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and banned from driving for 12 years.
24-year-old Patrick Moran, of Kilcohan Park in Waterford, had pleaded guilty to endangerment, criminal damage, having no licence or insurance on 13 November 2016, and six counts of dangerous driving at various locations in the city and county on the same date.
He was disqualified from driving at the time.
Detective Garda John O'Sullivan told Waterford Circuit Criminal Court that gardaí on patrol came upon Mr Moran driving a van near the Airport Road roundabout.
Gardaí pursued him and close to the entrance of the Haven Hotel in Dunmore East, the van, which had passengers inside, almost knocked over a couple out walking.
Luckily, the man reacted and "threw the woman" and himself into a ditch to escape injury.
The garda car overtook Mr Moran while he drove at speed and on the wrong side of the Dunmore Road.
However, he then struck a garda car near the entrance to Gaultier GAA club.
Two gardaí who were injured have since made a full recovery, the court heard.
Judge Eugene O'Kelly said there was a substantial risk of death" to the gardaí and the pedestrians.
He noted that Moran had received a two-month sentence in 2013 for endangerment, where he struck a garda sergeant with his car.
Meanwhile, he had 69 previous convictions at the time and was banned from driving earlier this year. A large number of previous offences were for road traffic matters.
He was given a two-year sentence for endangerment, with the final six months suspended for 18 months.
He also received a number of concurrent sentences of less than one year for the dangerous driving charges.
