Woman drove ‘head-on’ at Garda on wrong side of road, court told

A Garda has told how she was left “very shaken” on her way home from work after a woman drove at her head-on before swerving at the last moment.

Garda Stephanie Treacy told a sitting of Athlone District Court that she had no choice but to come to a complete stop on the road and was “beeping as much as I could and shouting” as the vehicle came at her on the wrong side of the road.

“I think I may have closed my eyes. I was completely stationary in the middle of the road and she swerved onto the correct side of the road,” said Garda Treacy.

The evidence was heard at Athlone District Court as part of a Garda objection to an application by Weronika Halusko (23), of Newpark Village, Kiltoom, Athlone, Co Roscommon, to have her seized vehicle returned to her.

Garda Treacy was on her way home from work shortly after 7pm when she noticed a black BMW pulling out of a nearby carpark and following her.

The court heard how, as she was about to drive into the central lane on the N55 at Ballykeeran to make a righthand turn, she observed the black BMW pulling out and driving into the central lane, dangerously overtaking two vehicles at high speed.

The vehicle then turned right and continued to follow Garda Treacy, who pulled into a driveway at Corr, Walderstown, to allow her to pass. However, the court heard how the black BMW drove to a crossroads, before turning and driving head-on at Garda Treacy on the wrong side of the road, swerving at the last second before driving off at high speed.

“A Dunnes Stores lorry came up behind me while I was in the middle of the road and was quite rightly irate,” said Garda Treacy, “I had to pull off. I was very shaken.”

She told the court how she had concerns that something like that “or worse” would happen again and that the driver would hurt herself, somebody else or another vehicle, and so she decided to return to work to follow up on the incident.

The black BMW had been stopped numerous times regarding driving offences, she informed the court, adding that “when she sees Gardaí, she does something like this”.

When Ms Halusko was tracked down, Garda Treacy, who was worried for the woman’s mental health, seized the vehicle and it remains in storage. She arrested Ms Halusko and asked her why she had driven in such a manner, to which the woman replied, “it was just for a few seconds”.

Solicitor Dara Hayden, on behalf of Ms Halusko, put it to Garda Treacy that the incident took place in June. He said his client has since been driving her partner’s car to work, as she lives outside of town, and needs her own car.

However, Gardaí strongly objected to the return of the vehicle, with Garda Lee Kelly taking to the witness box to give evidence of a previous incident when the same car was seized.

He outlined to the court that, in the early hours of May 6, 2026, Gardaí responded to a 999 call from Ms Halusko, who was in her black BMW at Annsfield Woods, Athlone.

Garda Kelly said Ms Halusko was threatening to drive the vehicle against the wall and do harm to herself. She was assisted by an ambulance, he said, and the vehicle was seized, but later returned to her without a hearing.

Ms Halusko told the court that she is on medication now and has been driving her partner’s car to work, stating that, “I don’t drive like that anymore, nor do I intend to.”

She said she suffered a period of bad mental health but has been attending counselling and has had no further interactions with Gardaí.

Sergeant Paul McNally, however, put it to her that she had encountered Gardaí on July 12, close to 11pm, at Athlone Garda Station, when they responded to reports of a female on the railway tracks.

When Ms Halusko said she did not recall the incident, he said, “surely you’d remember if you were on the railway tracks”. She said she was not in Athlone on the date in question.

“I haven’t been driving like that since. There have been no incidents and I’m taking steps with my mental health,” she said.

Sgt McNally informed the court that there are prosecutions pending, with charges of dangerous driving set to come before the court on November 11, for a plea or to fix a hearing date.

Judge Bernadette Owens took into account the Garda objections to the application, and said that she was “not satisfied there’s sufficient evidence she’s fully compliant with her medication”.

She noted the confidential nature of counselling sessions but directed an updated report from Ms Halusko’s psychotherapist with regard to her attendance only.

Ms Halusko’s application will come before the courts again on November 6, at the civil sittings of Athlone District Court.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme