On August 18, 2021, a 65-year-old motorcyclist died in a road accident, in the town of Saint-Nexans, in Dordogne, after violently colliding with a car whose driver had not respected the stop sign, at the crossroads of the Route des Marchettes.
Tuesday, November 19, a 29-year-old woman suspected of being the driver of the Toyota Yaris was tried in Bergerac court for manslaughter. But, for a year, the person concerned has assured that she was not behind the wheel that day in 2021, that it was her partner at the time. He allegedly asked him to lie to cover him up, because he had a criminal record and had used drugs. This change of version, which occurred after two years of proceedings, is contradicted by a witness who says he saw the two occupants get out of the vehicle on the driver's side: first the woman, then the man, which suggests that she was at the flying.
“I was under the influence”
For the prosecutor, there is really no doubt. It was she who was driving, as she had explained to the police after the accident. She would have changed her version when she learned that the car, which belonged to her partner's mother, was not insured. “The conflict is who is going to take out the wallet to assume the consequences,” reprimands Gaël Bellet.
But at the stand, the young woman is categorical: “It was not me who was driving. After the accident, he told me ''We have three seconds, you have to say it's you. » » The president asks: “Why did you wait more than two years to say it? “. “I was weak, I was under control,” she replies. He took care of everything, he told me that I was in no danger. »
His lawyer jumped into every possible loophole to instill doubt: such as the fact that the main witness was an acquaintance of the couple. Insufficient to overturn the court, which sentenced the young woman to one year in prison with a simple suspended sentence and referred the question of payment of damages to a civil chamber. The law gives him ten days to appeal this decision.
