Colmar Tourist Train Driver Faces Trial for Drunk Driving Accident Involving Toddler
A Colmar tourist train driver is on trial after running over a toddler while intoxicated, resulting in legal proceedings and a suspension from work.
- • A 44-year-old tourist train driver ran over a 19-month-old child in Colmar while intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of 1.38 g/L.
- • The toddler suffered a leg injury, was hospitalized briefly, and discharged with a cast and four weeks' temporary incapacity to work.
- • The driver was placed in police custody, then released under judicial control with a ban from public transport work pending trial.
- • The trial is scheduled for October 17, with the driver suspended and facing dismissal proceedings by the employer.
Key details
On August 31, a tragic incident occurred in Colmar, Alsace, when a 44-year-old tourist train driver, under the influence of alcohol, accidentally ran over a 19-month-old child, resulting in a leg injury. The driver’s blood alcohol level was measured at 1.38 grams per liter, significantly above the legal limit. Fortunately, the toddler’s injury was not life-threatening. The child was hospitalized, discharged the next day with a cast, and given a four-week temporary incapacity to work (ITT).
Following the accident, the driver was placed in police custody for two days before being released under judicial control. The prosecution classified the case as a 'road injury' aggravated by drunk driving. As a result, the driver has been banned from working in public transportation and must undergo treatment while awaiting trial, which is set for October 17. The driver had only been employed by the tourist train company for a few months. The company responded by suspending him and initiating disciplinary proceedings aiming at dismissal.
This incident has raised significant concerns about public safety and employee responsibility in the tourist transport sector in Colmar. The legal repercussions emphasize the serious consequences of driving under the influence, particularly when public safety is at stake. The case is now proceeding through the judicial system, where the driver faces charges linked to the accident and his intoxicated state at the time of the incident.