Morbihan accident: underage driver tests positive for alcohol

Morbihan accident: underage driver tests positive for alcohol

The 17-year-old boy who, without a licence, was driving the car in which 4 youths died in Rohan (Morbihan) on Saturday night, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.83 g/l, revealed the prosecutor in Vannes on Thursday. The young man is still in hospital and could not be questioned by investigators “as his mental state makes his arrest impossible,” added deputy public prosecutor in Vannes at a press briefing.

14 youths aged 15 to 17 were in the 5-seater car which swerved then somersaulted several times. 3 of them were in the front, 7 in the back seat and 4 in the boot, according to Mr. Le Bris.

Of the 10 who survived, 5, including the driver, are still in hospital and still had not been questioned by investigators on Thursday. “2 of them suffered serious injuries but they’re now off the critical list,” added Mr. Le Bris, mentioning head injuries and multiple fractures.

15 under-18s went to the driver’s home for a private party on Saturday night while his parents were away, and they were meant to stay there overnight. It is still unclear why almost all of them decided to get in the vehicle between midnight and 1:00am as “hearings have revealed no particular destination,” pointed out Mr. Le Bris. “Just like that, they said: ‘Let’s drive.’” Less than 3 km later, the vehicle “swerved and the driver lost control.”

Following the funerals of the 4 young victims on Wednesday, the prosecutor and local authorities gathered all the families in Rohan on Thursday morning, gave them details on the investigation, and put them in touch with support groups for victims and their families.

The young driver’s 0.83 g/l blood-alcohol level is substantially higher than the maximum limit of 0.50, and even more so than the 0.20 limit for young drivers.

(Source: Belga) 


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