Motorcycle Accident near Monaco Results in Acquittal of Defendant
A 30-year-old woman acquitted in a case involving the death of an 86-year-old man following a road accident in Beausoleil.
On September 19, 2023, a 30-year-old woman was involved in a fatal road accident in Beausoleil, near Monaco, resulting in the death of an 86-year-old man.
The incident occurred while the defendant was riding her motorcycle to work when she struck the elderly pedestrian while attempting to overtake a slow-moving van on Boulevard Guynemer.
The impact was severe, leading to the victim suffering an open fracture of the leg.
Emergency services transported him to Pasteur Hospital in Nice, where he underwent amputation that night.
Despite medical intervention, his condition deteriorated, and he passed away eleven days later due to respiratory and cardiac failure.
During the trial, the victim's wife, son, and daughter participated as civil parties, with legal representation from Maître Frédérique Grégoire-Concas, who emphasized the gravity of the consequences of the accident.
The defendant, who has no prior criminal history, acknowledged her actions.
She stated, "I overtook a van that was moving slowly.
I did not see Mr. F..
I did everything I could to avoid him." Subsequent tests for alcohol and drugs returned negative results.
The public prosecutor, Sandra Verbrugghen, highlighted the seriousness of the events, indicating that while there was no intent to harm, the maneuver undertaken by the defendant was flawed, citing visibility issues.
The prosecution sought a sentence of one year in prison, suspended, along with the revocation of the defendant's driving license for six months.
In her defense, lawyer Me Florian Sempere argued for a tailored sentence, pointing out the circumstances of the road environment and the lack of dispute over the facts by his client.
Ultimately, the court acquitted the defendant after reviewing the forensic report, determining that the death of the elderly man was not directly attributable to the motorcycle accident.
The incident occurred while the defendant was riding her motorcycle to work when she struck the elderly pedestrian while attempting to overtake a slow-moving van on Boulevard Guynemer.
The impact was severe, leading to the victim suffering an open fracture of the leg.
Emergency services transported him to Pasteur Hospital in Nice, where he underwent amputation that night.
Despite medical intervention, his condition deteriorated, and he passed away eleven days later due to respiratory and cardiac failure.
During the trial, the victim's wife, son, and daughter participated as civil parties, with legal representation from Maître Frédérique Grégoire-Concas, who emphasized the gravity of the consequences of the accident.
The defendant, who has no prior criminal history, acknowledged her actions.
She stated, "I overtook a van that was moving slowly.
I did not see Mr. F..
I did everything I could to avoid him." Subsequent tests for alcohol and drugs returned negative results.
The public prosecutor, Sandra Verbrugghen, highlighted the seriousness of the events, indicating that while there was no intent to harm, the maneuver undertaken by the defendant was flawed, citing visibility issues.
The prosecution sought a sentence of one year in prison, suspended, along with the revocation of the defendant's driving license for six months.
In her defense, lawyer Me Florian Sempere argued for a tailored sentence, pointing out the circumstances of the road environment and the lack of dispute over the facts by his client.
Ultimately, the court acquitted the defendant after reviewing the forensic report, determining that the death of the elderly man was not directly attributable to the motorcycle accident.
