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Belgian driver gets 27-year jail term for deadly carnival crash
A Belgian driver was sentenced Wednesday to 27 years in jail after being found guilty of killing seven people by ploughing his car into a carnival procession while filming himself at the wheel.
Prosecutors said Paolo Falzone, 38, was racing his BMW at 170 kilometres (105 miles) per hour through a 50-kilometre zone at the time of the fatal March 2022 crash in the southern town of La Louviere.
They said he was driving home from a nightclub before dawn on a Sunday and was unaware that revellers dressed for a traditional carnival parade were gathered in a street on the town's outskirts.
The investigation determined that Falzone -- who had previous speeding and drink driving offences -- was filming a social media post and not looking at the road at the time of the crash.
Six people died instantly and emergency workers treated around 40 wounded scattered across several hundred metres. Another victim died later.
Tried in front of a jury, in part due to the level of public outrage, Falzone was found guilty last week of seven counts of murder and 79 counts of attempted murder.
"The sentence reflects the seriousness of the facts, even if it will never bring back those who died," said David Gelay, a lawyer representing the children of a man killed in the crash, who was thrown through the windscreen.
During his trial, Falzone said he regretted his actions and had no intention to cause harm.
His lawyer, Frank Discepoli, had urged the jury not to exceed 25 years, but acknowledged his client deserved "a significant sentence" for his behaviour.
L. Andersson--BTZ
