A 55-year-old man from Pau was tried this Tuesday for unintentional injuries. Two road accidents for which he was responsible which left two minor injuries. The first was on July 4th. He hits a scooter from behind, stopped at a red light. His breathalyzer test is positive. The young high school student was only slightly injured. But four days later, when he was no longer allowed to drive since this first accident, he missed a turn and hit a car. And again the breathalyzer is positive. Very complicated facts to explain to the audience.
“Bad karma”
The problem for him is giving explanations without it seeming like self-pity. He regrets his behavior. Awkwardly he said to the audience: “it was a week with bad karma.”
This karma is his divorce after twenty years of marriage, which he goes through under the same roof as his future ex-wife. And then his professional world collapsed. He had a private nursing practice. But his partner died. He ran the business on his own but is overwhelmed by administrative tasks. So outdated that the order of nurses suspended him for a year. So he drinks. He commits this accident and continues drinking and driving until this second accident in four days. He adds : “there is nothing rational about drinking” so that the court does not think that he is making excuses.
The prosecutor requested an eight-month suspended prison sentence. A sentence accompanied by several preventive measures for a new deviation: obligation of care, prohibition of retaking the license before six months, and the obligation toequip your car with a breathalyzer. The court will deliver its judgment on July 9. One year to the day after the second accident; bad karma.
