M9 CRASH INVESTIGATION CLEARS GARDAÍ — WATCHDOG FINDS OFFICERS ACTED WITHIN THE LAW BEFORE FIVE TEENS DIED

A major investigation into the Garda pursuit that preceded the horrific M9 motorway crash in County Kildare has found that officers acted in accordance with the law and relevant policing procedures.

The finding was announced by Ireland’s police oversight body Fiosrú on September 18, following an independent investigation into the events leading up to the fatal collision on August 16, 2026.

Five teenage boys travelling in a BMW died in the head-on collision, while four members of another family were seriously injured.

FIVE TEENAGERS DIED IN THE HORRIFIC CRASH

The victims in the BMW were Joey Carthy, 15; Alex McCarthy, 16; Jack Kennedy, 17; Kamil Pustkowski, 17; and Jeremy O’Brien, 18.

The crash happened at around 3am on August 16 near Moone in County Kildare.

The BMW had been travelling in the wrong direction on the M9 when it collided head-on with a Hyundai carrying four people.

The occupants of the Hyundai — Ella Hendricken, Niamh Kinsella, Alma Kinsella and Alma’s seven-year-old son Yemi — were seriously injured.

The family had reportedly been travelling towards Dublin Airport to fly to the UK for a family wedding when their car was struck.

GARDAÍ HAD BEEN FOLLOWING THE BMW

Fiosrú established that Gardaí had been following the BMW for a short period while it was travelling on the N78 in Athy.

Permission to continue the pursuit had been granted by the Garda Control Room.

The BMW then entered the M9 travelling against the direction of traffic.

At that point, the Garda vehicle terminated the pursuit, and the Control Room confirmed that the pursuit should not continue.

Other Garda units subsequently attempted to position a stopping device at what investigators considered an appropriate location.

But the BMW made a number of U-turns before eventually colliding with the oncoming Hyundai.

FIOSRÚ REVIEWED CCTV AND RADIO TRANSMISSIONS

The independent investigation examined the actions and decisions of the Gardaí during their interaction with the vehicle.

Investigators reviewed CCTV footage and radio transmissions and received a briefing from a forensic collision investigator.

Fiosrú said the purpose of the investigation was to establish whether Gardaí had acted in accordance with the law and relevant Garda policies and procedures.

Its conclusion was that they had.

Police Ombudsman Emily Logan said the investigation was independent of Gardaí and found that officers had acted appropriately, within the law and in line with relevant policies and procedures.

THE INVESTIGATION DOES NOT MEAN THE CRASH IS CLOSED

Fiosrú’s investigation specifically examined the Garda interaction with the BMW before the collision.

An Garda Síochána said separately that it continues to investigate the wider circumstances of the fatal road traffic collision.

The Garda referral to Fiosrú was mandatory because the incident involved deaths following contact with Gardaí.

Fiosrú noted that such a referral does not necessarily mean an officer has been accused of wrongdoing. Its role is to independently examine whether an act or omission by Garda personnel may have contributed to a death or serious injury.

SURVIVORS CONTINUE THEIR RECOVERY

Meanwhile, the four people injured in the Hyundai continue to recover.

Ella, Niamh and Alma recently issued an emotional update thanking the public for the support they have received since the crash.

They said they were “taking things one day at a time” and were “getting stronger as the days go by.”

A fundraiser established to help the family with their recovery has reportedly raised more than €800,000.

For the families of the five teenagers who died, however, the Fiosrú finding comes more than a month after the devastating collision — a crash that claimed five young lives and left another family facing a long road to recovery.

The wider investigation into the circumstances surrounding the M9 tragedy remains ongoing.