“I was stressed that morning”. Here is how a 25-year-old business manager justifies his refusal to sign an amicable report after a collision and a punch in the face of another motorist. A bad gesture which earned him to be sent back to the Nice criminal court on Thursday, in the detainees' box.
That morning, shortly before 8 a.m., the victim, a physiotherapist who works as a freelancer, dropped his son off at school. He travels in a courtesy vehicle, a Citroën C3, which his mechanic has made available to him. As he takes Boulevard de Cimiez, he overtakes a flatbed van and stands in front of it. Its driver, head of a construction company, does not appreciate the maneuver. Disregarding the danger, he overtakes by taking the opposite lane of traffic, and takes his place in the line of vehicles, suddenly pulling back. During the maneuver, the van catches the C3. The physiotherapist asks him to sign an amicable report. But the business manager turns back and flees. A little further on, the physiotherapist comes back, blocking the van with the C3, and gets out of the car. The business manager in turn comes down and punches him violently in the eye.
“I was afraid he would hit me with a trowel”
“He blocked me. I don't know this gentleman. He grabbed a bucket from the bed of my truck with a trowel in it. He held the bucket. I was afraid he would grab trowel and hit me with it. I panicked, went out and struck a blow.summarizes the defendant.
“It's hardly credible, notes President Alain Chemama. You are young and relatively strong. He was the one who was scared.”
“This blow has consequences. My client, a pediatric physiotherapist, had three days of ITT (temporary work interruption). He was unable to go to his office,” recalls Me Laurent Nicolas for the civil party.
“I am extremely ashamed, I bitterly regret”the business manager is confused.
Found guilty, he was sentenced to two fines of 800 and 500 euros and was released from court. His lawyer pleaded self-defense.
