Four years in prison for the driver who killed a pedestrian in La Courondelle, in Béziers

13 mentions in the defendant's criminal record, especially for cases related to dangerous driving. Illustration – Midi Libre

The Biterrois, accused of involuntary manslaughter, appeared before the Béziers court on Monday March 11. He was sentenced, among other things, to 4 years in prison, including 12 months suspended on probation for two years.  

The Biterrois who arrives handcuffed at the Béziers court this Monday March 11 has his head down. Surely so as not to face the pain of the civil parties, sitting in front of him: the ex-husband and the two sons of the woman whom the defendant hit with his vehicle, last November, while she was crossing at one of the pedestrian crossings on Boulevard Hemingway, at La Courondelle. 

Defendant "of involuntary manslaughter by the driver of a land motor vehicle for repeated offense", the thirty-year-old is at risk fat. He comes straight from Gasquinoy, where he has been in pre-trial detention since February 15, awaiting his trial.

President Christophe Rolland recalls the facts at the opening of the hearing. It’s 6:30 p.m. this past November 30. The man drives a cart without a license because his license was taken away. He is going too fast, at least above 30 km/h which should not be exceeded on this road. When a mother and her son cross at the pedestrian crossing on Hemingway Avenue, he hits them. The child has nothing but unfortunately the mother will be seriously injured. Transported at the Montpellier University Hospital, she died five days later. 

A heavy criminal record

At the stand, he repeats, as he has said from the beginning, that he was "dazzled by the headlights of& #39;a car coming from the front". However, no one, neither a witness driving behind him nor the son, saw a vehicle. The defendant suffers from narcolepsy (he falls asleep suddenly) but admits that his illness and the treatment that goes with it have nothing to do with the accident. No, the bodybuilder was indeed "conscious" at the time of impact. 

His criminal record mentions 13 convictions, since 2007, several for aggravated theft and above all numerous offenses linked to dangerous driving and without insurance. 

"You were legal repeat offender"

In his requisitions, the public prosecutor, David Durand, turning to the civil parties, gravely recalls that the defendant "did not' intentionally caused the death" of the mother of the family. "It's important to say". But he adds: "However, we are not dealing with an accident." Turning to the defendant: < em>"You have created all the conditions for involuntary manslaughter (…). You were a repeat offender. You don't understand anything." He will ask for four years in prison with continued detention, five years prohibited from driving a land vehicle motorized, cancellation of the license. 

Maître Cambon, for the defense, insists on the "good faith" of his client and pleads involuntary nature of the accident and asks the presidency to distance itself from the facts and their dramatic consequences. On the bench of civil parties, the family remains upright, dignified. 

The president will follow the prosecutor's requisitions. The four years will be accompanied by a probationary suspension for two years. He will also have to compensate the civil parties. The amount of compensation will be determined at a later date. 

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