The custody of the 54-year-old actor must end this Friday at 2 p.m. at the latest. Involved in a serious road accident, he risks an indictment, after driving under the influence of narcotics.
What next for Pierre Palmade? The actor’s custody, which began on Wednesday, must end this Friday at 2 p.m. at the latest. The actor is involved in a road accident which occurred on Friday February 10, causing three serious injuries, while driving under the influence of cocaine. An investigation was opened for “manslaughter” and “involuntary injuries by driver under the influence of narcotics”.
The actor in custody at the hospital
Due to the state of health of the 54-year-old comedian, injured in the accident, his police custody takes place at the hospital in Melun, in Seine-et-Marne, where he is heard by the investigators. The actor does not have the right to leave his room, guarded by the police. The only visit he can receive is from his lawyer.
During the hearing, Pierre Palmade expressed his “shame” about the accident and said he was “devastated” by its consequences. A 27-year-old pregnant woman has lost her baby, while a 6-year-old child and a 38-year-old man are seriously injured.
However, he says he has very few memories of the accident, learned BFMTV from police sources, while admitting to having consumed narcotics before hitting the road.
The exact circumstances of the accident therefore remain to be determined. Was the actor really in no condition to realize what was happening to him or did he adopt a strategy of caution? Could he have memories that come back to him later or decide to speak before an examining magistrate? Further investigation will reveal this.
Palmade taken into custody?
When the actor’s custody will end this Friday at the beginning of the afternoon at the latest, a judicial investigation should be opened.
The two investigations already opened, one for homicide and involuntary injuries and the other for violation of the narcotics legislation, must be joined by the public prosecutor.
The latter will then appoint an investigating judge who can issue a joint letter rogatory to the police and the gendarmes, unless each remains in charge of his case separately.
Pierre Palmade can then be indicted, if the examining magistrate considers that there are serious and concordant indications which make the actor’s participation in the road accident likely.
Two possibilities then for the actor: he can be placed in detention while intending to be judged or remain under judicial control with strict measures such as the obligation of care or the withdrawal of a license. This decision will be taken by the judge of freedoms according to the potential risks of flight of the actor, of repetition or of the possibility that he puts pressure on witnesses or that he destroys evidence. The comedian faces up to 10 years in prison.
Passengers also prosecuted?
Apart from Pierre Palmade, his two passengers, also placed in police custody, were also heard by the investigators. One of the two men did not provide many answers since he claimed that he was sleeping at the time of the accident.
He also admitted to having taken drugs a few hours before the impact and claims that it was the other passenger who convinced him to flee after the accident, learned BFMTV from a police source. We are still waiting to find out what the other passenger said during his hearing. Both incur up to 7 years in prison for failure to assist a person in danger involving at least one minor.
One of the two men is a Moroccan national currently on French territory in an irregular situation. After being judged in the case of the road accident, he risks being subject to an obligation to leave the territory.
