On Friday, the Tournai Council Chamber reclassified the facts as murder for one of the victims of the Strépy-Bracquegnies drama. Result : Paolo Falzone, the driver of the car that mowed down the Gilles and their companions, today risks a heavier sentence and a trial at the assizes. We were able to collect the reaction of the family of Frédéric D’Andrea, the gille for whom the facts were reclassified as murder.
A half victory
Zélie is the daughter of Frédéric D’Andrea, who died on March 20. That day, she was there, she saw the accident: “He continued on his way and ran over people. It was wanted so it’s murder, the requalification is up to the actions taken”, she believes. However, this requalification is only a half-victory: “We would have preferred it to be for everyone and not just for Fred”, regrets Grégory, the brother of Frédéric D’Andrea.
A half victory which is also taken with caution. The investigation is not over, the qualification of the facts can still evolve as Grégory D’andrea points out: “We know that the charges can still be revised upwards or downwards so we remain cautious”.
A trial at the assizes
The requalification in murder also implies a change in the level of the jurisdiction which will have to judge Paolo Falzone. For a murder, the man risks the court of assizes. The D’Andrea family has been waiting for this moment for a clear reason. “I want him to look us in the eye and accept it. I want him to see us and see the harm he has done. Let him say to himself that what he has done is serious”, explains Zelie.
he will finally have to take responsibility for his actions in front of everyone
A position shared by his uncle: “Me, what I like with an assize court is that we will see him unlike the police court. There, he will have to assume in front of everyone whereas until now he has not never assumed anything”. He adds : “He will have to face Frédéric’s children, his wife and the other victims he harmed, people who will never be the same again”.
The other consequence of this reclassification as murder is the amount of punishment which increases. For manslaughter, Paolo Falzone faces 3 months to 5 years in prison. For murder, the maximum penalty is 30 years in prison. However, for Grégory D’Andrea, the most appropriate sentence would be the withdrawal of license: “My hope is that he gets his license taken away for life. I think it’s mission impossible, but I’d be happy to know he’s never driving again in his life. Because if he takes 20 years and that, in 20 years, he can renew, I would be afraid to leave my children on the roads”.
Pending the end of the investigation and a trial, Paolo Falzone remains in prison. The Chamber of the Council of Tournai extended his preventive detention for two additional months.