An inquest has heard that the post mortem of Sean McGrotty, the driver in the Buncrana pier tragedy, revealed that he was significantly over the drink driving limit.
According to a report by Highland Radio, pathologist Dr. Catriona Dillon found 159 milligrams per decimetre of alcohol in McGrotty’s bloodstream. The legal drink driving limit is 50 milligrams, meaning that Mr. McGrotty was more than three times over the legal limit.
Mr. McGrotty and his two sons Mark and Evan died as a result of the incident, as did Mr. McGrotty’s mother-in-law Ruth, and Ruth’s daughter Jodie. They drowned in March of last year after the car, of which Mr. McGrotty was behind the wheel, entered the water at Buncrana Pier.
Dr. Dillon told coroner Dr. Denis McCauley that she could not say whether Mr. McGrotty’s state would have impaired his driving, noting that such a determination would depend on several other factors of which she was not aware — such as Mr. McGrotty’s drinking habits.
An inquest is taking place today into the five deaths.
Dr. Denis McCauley could not be reached for comment.
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