According to our colleagues at the Courrier Picard, on 18 December last year, a drunk driver crashed into two posts. Firefighters arrived to help him, but the driver began to shout abuse at them and tried to hit them.
Police officers then took over and took the man to hospital, where his breath alcohol level was recorded at 1.97 grams of alcohol per litre of exhaled air. “ An aggravating circumstance ”, insisted Florent Boura, the public prosecutor, at the hearing, according to our colleagues.
“ Firefighters aren’t punching bags ”
His lawyer requested a psychological assessment. This revealed mental health issues. At the time of the incident, the man could hear the voice of a cat. Today, he cannot remember anything.
“ Firefighters aren’t punching bags ” says the president. “ A few months earlier, I’d come to your rescue, and everything had gone well ”, adds one of the firefighters who was injured. “ I wasn’t feeling well mentally ”, explains the defendant. Having already been convicted six times for drink-driving, as well as receiving other sentences, Alain Cagnard was this time sentenced to one year in prison, six months of which were suspended, and a two-year probation order. He was remanded in custody.