A 46-year-old Mullingar man lost his life as a result of injuries sustained in a horrific two-vehicle head-on road traffic collision on a straight stretch of the main N4 road, early on Monday morning of this week, at Killsallagh, Edgeworthstown.
John Mangan who was orginally from Robinstown, had previously lived in Castle Street, Mullingar, and had been living in Abbeylara, Granard, Co. Longford. He was driving a red Opel Vectra car which was in collision with a black Volkswagen Transporter van at about 5.40am on Monday, 11 July. The scene of the crash was just a few miles beyond Rathowen, towards Edgeworthstown, on the main N4 road.
Mr Mangan, who was the sole occupant of the car, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. He was found beneath his vehicle, which was totally wrecked in the collision, with the car engine found a considerable distance away and other vehicle parts scattered all over the road.
Eye-witnesses afterwards described the accident scene as horrific.
The driver and sole occupant of the other vehicle, from Co. Mayo, was in his mid thirties. The man was cut free from his badly damaged van and taken to the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Emergency services including the Gardaí, Fire Services and Ambulance services rushed to the scene and Gardaí immediately closed off a section of the N4 road between Edgeworthstown Co. Longford and Rathowen Co. Westmeath, where Garda Forensic Collision investigators began their enquiries into the crash.
Gardaí are continuing their investigations into Monday’s fatal collision, and are appealing for witnesses or anyone who was in the vicinity of the collision or on the N4 prior to the crash at 5.40am, or anyone with any information of value, to come forward and contact them at Granard Garda Station on 043-6687660, the Garda Confidential Line 1800-666111 or any Garda Station.
Mr. Mangan, who was predeceased by his sister Margaret, is survived by his parents, Peter and Mary (Robinstown); his brothers Peter and Val Mangan, his sisters Barbara (Smith) and Rosanna (Loftus), his sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and other relatives, to all of whom we extend sympathy.
His remains will repose at Gilsenan’s Funeral Home, Mullingar from 5pm to 6.30pm this Wednesday evening, 13 July before removal to Mullingar Cathedral. The funeral Mass is on Thursday morning, 14 July at 10am, followed by cremation in Mount Jerome.
