Diana inquest: Fiat driver drunk
Monday, 29 Oct 2007 19:54
Witness at Diana inquest says he saw 'drunk' driver of white Fiat exit tunnel in which princess died
A witness at the inquest into the death of Princess Diana has told jurors that he saw the driver of a white Fiat Uno drunkenly zigzag from the tunnel that she died in.
The inquest heard how the man had to brake to avoid hitting the car, which swerved as it left the Pont de l'Alma tunnel on August 31st 1997.
George Dauzonne recalled that he thought the driver of the Fiat was "totally drunk".
"That is why I had to slow down and I saw the car and I think he saw me because he was adjusting his mirror," he said via videolink from Paris.
"Then he went back to the left side of the road and he was still adjusting his mirror, and then he goes like again on the right side and goes beyond and goes like he wants to park, and then I am almost stopped behind him trying to understand what he wants to do and I am telling my wife 'this guy must be drunk' and I go on the left and I zoom away.
"I don't want to see this guy any longer."
But he and his wife Sabine failed to pick out a picture of James Andanson, a photographer implicated by Mohamed al-Fayed in a plot to kill Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed; the Harrods owner's son who also died in the collision.
Mr al-Fayed says the couple were killed in a plot by the British establishment, but independent reports from UK and French police have ruled that they died as a result of a tragic accident.
Inquest head Scott Baker has told jurors they must decide whether the actions of paparazzi contributed to the pair's deaths.
Mr and Mrs Dauzonne did however identify a picture of paparazzo Le Van Thanh as a potential driver of the Fiat Uno.
The inquest hearing continues.