Homeowners found innocent

last updated 8 January 2015

Nancy, France

A French couple was cleared this week of complicity in a car accident caused by a man who had gotten drunk at their home. Frederic Colin left the home of Angelique and Jean-Sebastian Fraisse after drinking more than his share of wine at dinner, and plowed into a car containing a family of four. They were all killed, as was Colin. Relatives of the family brought charges against the Fraisses, saying they should have prevented Colin from driving, or at least alerted police. The case divided a French public that is becoming increasingly critical of drunken driving. If the Fraisses had been found guilty, it would have set a legal precedent. Bar owners in France can be held responsible for accidents caused by drunken guests, but so far homeowners cannot.