An innocent woman was killed in a horror motorway accident last night after she got accidentally caught up in a high-speed Garda chase.

The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is investigating the fatal crash in which five other people were hospitalised including two members of the gardai.

The horrific collision happened close to Kildare Village shopping mall along the M7 motorway shortly before 9pm last night. The victim, aged 34, was returning home from the supermarket when the incident occurred.

Her Citroen car was struck from behind by a car which is understood to have been under pursuit by the Gardai.

It is believed the deceased's car then slammed into a Garda patrol vehicle, killing her instantly.

There were five people in the car under pursuit, one believed to be a 13-year-old boy. The five males remain in hospital today with serious injuries, but they are not believed to be life-threatening.

Two gardai were also hospitalised with minor injuries and shock but they were discharged overnight.

Officers from three counties were involved in the pursuit of the group of young men who were suspected of being involved in a spate of house thefts in North Tipperary earlier that evening.

Officers from the Laois/Offaly division are understood to have intercepted the suspects at the M7 toll bridge outside Portlaoise.

The gang fled and gardai gave chase on the northbound carriageway. The gang drove across four counties before gardai attempted to box them off near the J13 turn-off for Kildare.

The innocent victim was travelling onto the motorway from the slip road when she was rear-ended by the fleeing car. The Citroen was propelled through the air, colliding with a patrol car. The woman died at the scene.

Paramedics rushed to the scene as emergency services attempted to stop oncoming traffic from driving into the scene of carnage.

Four units of Kildare Fire Brigade travelled from Newbridge and Monasterevin and fire crews worked to cut the trapped victims from the wreckage.

At least seven injured people have been rushed to Naas and Tallaght hospitals.

Injuries

The Gardai confirmed that they were investigating the death of the woman, and that it had been referred to GSOC.

While there was just one fatality, a number of others are understood to have sustained serious injuries and were transferred to the nearby Tallaght and Naas hospitals.

Fr Adrian Carbery, parish priest in Kildare town, said: "I'm horrified. This woman was probably on her way home from work and just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends, and I hope they find the strength to get through this," he added.

Emergency services remained at the scene last night, and it is understood that diversions will remain in place until this morning.

Officers who witnessed the collision were said to be extremely shaken by what had occurred. A team of investigators from the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission arrived at the scene about 11pm last night to begin their investigation.

AA Roadwatch and gardai were last night advising that the M7 northbound between Kildare and Newbridge would remain closed while investigations continued.

Motorists were warned to avoid the area and take alternative routes.

Irish Independent