Belfast Ravenhill Road fatal crash accused 'nonchalant' about drinking before driving, court told

A man accused of crashing into a taxi and causing the deaths of two people allegedly told police he drank six beers before driving, a court has been told.

Police claimed he spoke "nonchalantly" about drinking before getting behind the wheel.

The crash happened on the Ravenhill Road in Belfast on Saturday night at around 9pm.

Adrian Ursu (32) has been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Jon O’Hara, 47, from Belfast and another man who has not been named were both killed. The second man was in the back seat of Ursu's car and his identity has not been disclosed at the request of his family.

Ursu, from Doonbeg Drive, Newtownabbey, appeared at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Monday.

He also faces two counts of causing grevious bodily injury by dangerous driving in connection with two other people hurt in the collision.

Five other people were injured.

The taxi driver suffered serious back injuries, the court was told, while another passenger remains in intensive care at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

A police officer told the court the accused described drinking six beers on the day of the crash. The officer said he spoke "nonchalantly" about drinking prior to getting behind the wheel.

The court was told that a preliminary breath test conducted at the crash scene suggests alcohol may have been a factor.

Police say the case against Ursu is based on CCTV footage showing a black Ford Focus cash veering over the central line before colliding with a blue Skoda Octavia taxi.

The detective constable also claimed the defendant's car appeared to be travelling faster than other vehicles on the road at the time.

A defence solicitor for Ursu said that at no stage did police put any evidence to the accused during interviews.

He said the investigation is at an early stage and believed the defendant was charged because he is a foreign national and deemed a flight risk.

The court also heard Ursu has three previous driving convictions and nine points on his licence for excess speed.

He was refused bail because of the risk of reoffending and is due to appear in court again on 21 February.