(Bobigny, France) Comedian Pierre Palmade told the investigating judge that he was “horrified” at the consequences for the victims of the serious road accident he caused in February while under the influence of drugs, according to his statements to the investigating magistrate, revealed Monday by The Parisian.
On February 10, on a departmental road in Seine-et-Marne, Pierre Palmade was driving a car which hit a vehicle coming in front. In addition to the actor, the accident left three seriously injured: a 38-year-old man, his 6-year-old son and his 27-year-old sister-in-law, who lost the baby she was expecting after the collision.
“I am horrified to know that I am the cause of all this (…) I ruined the life of a family. I go to sleep and I get up with that, sincerely,” the 55-year-old artist declared to the judge responsible for the investigation, during an interrogation at the Melun court on September 26.
Having suffered from drug addiction problems for decades, Pierre Palmade had just spent three days using drugs, without sleeping, when he took the wheel with two passengers to go shopping.
Initially indicted for homicide and involuntary injuries by a driver who used narcotics as a repeat offender, this classification is likely to be reduced to involuntary injuries only when sent for trial.
A medical expert concluded that the baby carried by the pregnant passenger – who underwent a cesarean section following the accident – had died before birth and could therefore not be legally considered a human person.
“I am responsible for the death of a child (…) Whether he died before or after childbirth, the result is the same, it is my fault”, estimated Pierre Palmade before the magistrate, according to his words reported by The Parisian.
Since the beginning of June, the actor has been banned from leaving the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. His judicial review requires him to undergo treatment to treat his drug addiction.
Before the investigating judge, Pierre Palmade indicated that he was scrupulously following this treatment, but that he had experienced a relapse last June, during an outing to a nightclub in Bordeaux, the videos of which published on social networks had caused a scandal.