“During that evening, I only remember the barrier.” The barrier in question is the one that Matthew Cormont43, was hit while driving. Sunday October 10 at 1:30 a.m., drunk after returning from a party, he lost control of his car. Without a license, without insurance, he could have run over a passer-by. “Luckily there was a barrier…” she said.
Immediately, he left the scene of the accident by car to take refuge further away in a dead end. The passer-by, as well as a couple of witnesses, then came up to her, to prevent her, by speaking, from getting back on the road.
When the gendarmes arrived, Mathieu Cormont cut the ignition and ran away. For about forty-five minutes, he tried to escape the soldiers, hiding in gardens and setting off alarms. “Spotted by public clamor”, describes the president, he ends up surrendering.
“It’s ruined… It’s ruined…”, he said to the gendarmes, in the middle of “incoherent comments”. In the cabin of the Clio 3, there are bottles of alcohol and cups. At first verbally threatening the police, he then refused to submit to the analysis and then accepted. His blood alcohol level is 0.73 mg of alcohol per liter of exhaled air. He used cannabis and cocaine. Which surprises him since he says he doesn’t use cocaine. “I smoked cannabis, but I don’t remember the cocaine,” he says.
Furthermore, he hit this security barrier with his car without insurance, even though he does not have a license, without insurance. Mathieu Cormont lives in Estrées-Saint-Denis with his parents. He has had a partner for eighteen months but does not live with her.
In the car his father wanted to give him once he got his license
In pre-trial detention, he wishes to be tried today. For drunk driving, this is a recurrence from March 2023.
The car belongs to the driver’s father. “I bought it cheap and I was planning to give it to her at the end of her reintegration efforts, in particular the passing of her driving license,” he said.
That evening, Mathieu Cormont was with his partner at friends’ houses. He consumed alcohol there. He panicked when the police arrived. “I never got my license,” he regrets.
“He didn’t panic, he insulted the police,” corrects the passer-by, a mother of three children. The barrier saved me. We reasoned with him so that he wouldn’t leave again. He said he was sorry, without aggression.”
“Everything is true,” assumes Mathieu Cormont. I don’t remember taking the car. Obviously, I regret it. I will pay what needs to be paid. I’m working. That evening was a three-day weekend. Obviously, I drank a little.”
“I have to be forced to get my license”
“Why “necessarily”, when you are receiving treatment, do you take alcohol? There is no other way to unwind than to take the risk of killing people?” “I only remember the barrier…” he replies, remembering that it was his partner who drove there.
“What should we do? the court asks him. “Require me to get my license as soon as possible,” he replies. Lately, I have been focused on work, more than on the license.” He carpooled to work. Temporary order picker, he is awaiting a permanent contract.
“You are used to legal proceedings,” said the president. He has eight convictions between 2004 and 2024. In particular for concealment of theft, driving without a license, refusal to comply. He was not talked about between 2006 and 2022.
“What to do?”, asks the prosecutor
“What should we actually do? asks the prosecutor. He is neither capable nor worthy of having the license. His parents are very surprised by the degradation and complete relaxation of his behavior. If he did not intentionally hit the barrier, he decided to get behind the wheel after drinking, to restart, to drive in any way… We could have prosecuted him for contempt and trespassing, when he left in running taking refuge in gardens.”
Subject to treatment since 2023 and an electronic bracelet, “he received probationary suspension according to the card”, estimates the prosecutor. “Yes, it’s a heavy sentence. You have to respect a lot of things at the same time. Alcohol is new to him. The risk of recurrence is major.”
It requires ten months in prison and the revocation of his eight-month suspended sentence, with continued detention, and a ban on driving any motor vehicle for three years.
“His blackout is very real,” argues the defense
Maître Sa a Thoma-Bruniere notes severe but understandable requisitions. “His memories only come back once he hits that barrier,” she said. There is no explanation for this lapse in memory. He did not have a drinking problem until now. On the way to the party, his partner was driving. Usually, he carpooled to work. This blackout is very real. He shouldn’t get behind the wheel again. Something special happened that evening.”
“I’m sorry even if it’s too late. But if you take away my work, after that I have nothing…” he declares, last to speak.
He received a ten-month sentence and a four-month suspended sentence, or fourteen months. The court orders continued detention and a ban on driving for one year.
Concerning the Lacroix town hall, which has not yet established its estimate for the barrier, and the passer-by who has not assessed her damage, the court orders a referral on civil interests at the hearing on January 9.
