Illustration of a police vehicle, here near Rennes.
-
C. Allain / 20 Minutes
They challenge the court decision made Tuesday by the criminal court.
Two police officers, sentenced to twelve months in prison suspended in Rennes for having fatally struck a young woman at a pedestrian crossing in January, appealed against their conviction, we learned from their lawyer.
The correctional court had also pronounced an annulment of the driving license of the police officer who drove the vehicle.
The accident happened on the night of January 8-9.
A canine brigade vehicle traveling on a bus lane struck two pedestrians as they crossed on a zebra crossing.
Maëva, a 21-year-old school guide, was thrown several meters, dying in hospital from her injuries.
Théo, a 23-year-old nurse from Rennes, was seriously injured, being prescribed 30 days of temporary incapacity for work.
Their vehicle was traveling between 67 and 72 km / h
The two police officers, aged 49 and 51, were driving between 67 km / h and 72 km / h in an unmarked car and had not seen the pedestrians crossing behind a bus, according to an expert cited at the hearing .
They had mentioned the urgency of the intervention.
But in the request for reinforcement, "there is no mention of an emergency, a vital danger or a risk of riot", however noted the president of the court.
Deputy prosecutor Jean-Marie Blin had felt that there was indeed "a relative but certain urgency" which justified breaking free from the highway code.
"They had the right to accelerate, to drive at 67 km / h, but not at the entrance of a protected passage hidden by two buses", he added however.
Police officers can in fact only derogate from the Highway Code in an emergency and "subject to not endangering other users".
The maximum penalty was five years imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros.
Miscellaneous
A police officer dragged several meters by a motorist in the Lot-et-Garonne
Society
Police unions ask Emmanuel Macron for measures to protect officers
Reindeer
Collision
Pedestrians
Justice
Police