'A head popped out of a manhole but it was too late': Driver on trial for fatally hitting worker

L’ouvrier travaillait de nuit pour le compte d’une société d’assainissement. Illustration Envato

A motorist and the head of a sanitation company were tried before the Toulouse criminal court after the death of a worker, hit in the head as he was leaving a manhole.

It was a tragic accident, which occurred in July 2019, which led a motorist and a business manager to appear before the Toulouse Criminal Court on Monday, reports La Dépêche.

Tried for involuntary manslaughter, the two men are linked to the death of a worker, who was working the night of the tragedy, at a sewer outlet, on behalf of a sanitation company, belonging to his uncle.

As he was getting back onto the road, sticking his head through the manhole, the young worker was violently hit by a car that was passing at that moment, our colleagues report in an article published shortly after the events.

In court, the driver, still in shock, testified: “I didn't see anything until the last moment, then a head popped out of a manhole but it was too late. The consequences of this accident are irreversible". 

Security breaches

The seriously injured worker, taken to hospital, died from his injuries a few days after the accident.

The head of the company also answered before the court because that night, only a bollard could protect the work area, explained the presiding judge.

The victim, for his part, was a young seasonal worker, “who had just obtained his law degree and was full of promise”, the family lawyer described him.

A 10-month suspended prison sentence was requested for the driver and a fine of 100,000 euros for the company manager and uncle of the victim.