Accused of having exploded with a large firecracker the window of his brother-in-law’s office, the former French glory of motorsport Jean Alesi will be tried in correctional “For degradation of the property of others by a means dangerous for people, an act committed within the framework of a family conflict”, let know this Tuesday afternoon the public prosecutor of Nîmes, Eric Maurel.
Suspected of being also involved in this affair, the son of Jean Alesi will be prosecuted for complicity. Father and son will be judged “In 2023 in Nîmes”. In custody since Monday afternoon, they left the Avignon police station on Tuesday, said Eric Maurel.
The facts with which they are accused occurred on Sunday, in the middle of the evening. Three strangers circulate in a BMW in the streets of Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, headlights off. At around 10 p.m., they park near an architectural firm in the town of Gard. There, one of the three passengers exits the vehicle equipped with an explosive device of the firework mortar type, which he places on a glass door of the building.
An explosion sounds, degrading the shutters as well as a burglar-proof window, while the trio set off again with a bang. Bad luck, the neighborhood had time to note the registration number of the fugitives. Seized of the case, the investigators of the Departmental Directorate of Public Security of Vaucluse are quick to identify the owner of the vehicle: José Alesi, brother of the ex-pilot. Summoned to explain himself on Monday, the latter “Would have given several contradictory versions” to investigators, according to the Team.
“Bad joke”
The former Scuderia pilot (1991-1995) then went to the police station a few hours later to clear his brother. He explains that it was he who was in the car, with his son and a friend of his. Alesi says that he himself stuck “A” big fireworks display bought in Italy “in the frame of a window of the architect’s office of his brother-in-law, without imagining causing such damage”, explains the deputy prosecutor.
Jean Alesi, who completed 13 seasons in Formula 1 for 1 victory and 32 podiums in 201 Grands Prix, claims to have only wanted to make a “bad joke” to his brother-in-law, in the process of separation from his sister, ensuring that he is not in dispute with him. The brother-in-law says he has “no problem” with Jean Alesi. However, he lodged a complaint for the degradation of the frame of his window, said Antoine Wolff.
Antoine Wolff remains all the same “Quite skeptical about the notion of a ‘joke’ carried out at 10 p.m., without the person concerned knowing who it is, and everyone is heard in order to check if there is no other mobile “.
Update : update this Tuesday, December 21 at 6 p.m. with the announcement of the referral to correctional Jean Alesi and his son.