A TEENAGE girl who was seriously injured in a road traffic collision in Co. Kilkenny was waiting in the car for her father when the vehicle was stolen.
The man who stole the car drove for 25 minutes before being involved in the collision that left him with fatal injuries.
He was later pronounced dead while the three occupants of the second car sustained serious injuries.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to both the car theft and collision to come forward.
Collision
The incident began at around 3.30pm on Friday when the girl's father briefly left the car after parking it at Green Street in Kilkenny.
While the girl was waiting in the rear passenger seat, a man entered the car before driving off.
After 25 minutes, the car was involved in a collision with a second vehicle between Kilkenny town and Ballyragget.
The suspected car thief was brought to St Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny, where he was pronounced dead.
The teenage girl, whom Independent.ie reports has special needs, was airlifted to University Hospital Waterford with serious injuries.
The three occupants of the second car, a man and woman in their 40s and a man in his 60s, were treated at St Luke's for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Appeal
Gardaí have appealed for witnesses or anyone with footage to contact them.
"As part of this fatal road traffic collision investigation, gardai are investigating the circumstances of the theft of a vehicle at Green Street, Kilkenny at approximately 3:30pm," read a statement.
"A female teenager was an occupant of the vehicle when it was stolen.
"This vehicle was subsequently involved in the fatal road traffic collision.
"Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to either of these incidents to come forward to assist them with their ongoing investigations.
"Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the N77 between Kilkenny town and Ballyragget between 3.15pm and 4pm are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí.
"Gardaí are also appealing for any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the Green Street area of Kilkenny between 3pm and 3.30pm to make this footage available to them.
"Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kilkenny Garda Station on 056 7775000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station."
