Three years after a tragic accident nearly claimed the life of a pedestrian outside the Hôtel de Paris in Monte-Carlo’s Casino Square, Monaco’s justice system has delivered its verdict. Here’s a look back at the events and the final decision of the court.
The memories of that fateful evening remain vivid for the many people involved in setting up the renowned Monaco Red Cross concert. On July 16, 2021, the bustling Casino Square suddenly turned its attention to the Hôtel de Paris.
As a 53-year-old Monaco resident exited the hotel, he was struck by a Bentley. Trapped beneath the several-ton sedan, the man was rushed to Pasteur Hospital in Nice with life-threatening injuries.
Heroic bystanders and volunteers from the Monaco Red Cross managed to free the victim, who sustained multiple fractures, hemorrhages, a coma, six months of incapacity for work, and ongoing physical and psychological trauma.
A vacation in Monaco turned into a nightmare for an Armenian family on the day of their arrival. Just hours after collecting the keys to their rental Bentley, they were parking in front of the Hôtel de Paris.
While the father handed the keys to the valet, their four-year-old son, seated in the back with his mother, climbed into the driver’s seat. Slipping onto the accelerator, the child sent the car speeding into the crowd at over 8 km/h.
Technical examinations and CCTV footage revealed that the Bentley was in “Drive” mode with the engine running, not “Park.” Additionally, a seatbelt insert tricked the safety system into believing the seatbelt was fastened (seatbelt use is not mandatory in Monaco).
The father did not deny the technical findings but argued that the valet was responsible for the vehicle and child’s actions, as he had the keys and witnessed the child’s movements.
However, Deputy Prosecutor Emmanuelle Carniello dismissed this defense, highlighting three major faults: not turning off the engine, leaving the car in “Drive,” and not monitoring his child’s actions.
Despite not being the direct perpetrator, the 52-year-old father was found responsible for his son’s actions and guilty of unintentional injury. As per the prosecutor’s recommendation, the Monaco Correctional Court sentenced him to one year of imprisonment, suspended.
The civil aspects of the case will be addressed in a future hearing, but the court has already mandated a provisional compensation of 100,000 euros to the victim, to be paid by the defendant.
The victim had to cover all medical expenses and has received no compensation in the three years since the accident.