Law enforcement officers first checked the motorist in April 2022, when he measured 2.1 per thousand. A month later, it was 1.6 per thousand, while in Belgium the legal limit for blood alcohol is 0.5 per thousand.
Lawsuits followed, from which the man who works in the brewery has only now escaped before a court in Bruges. According to Le Parisien, the jury found it to be a case of “force majeure”.
“We are satisfied with the verdict, but it is not yet final,” pointed out his lawyer, Anse Ghesquière, adding that the public prosecutor can appeal against the judge’s decision within 30 days.
Her client’s illness, referred to as “auto-brewery-syndrome” (in English Auto-Brewery-Syndrome, ABS), was however independently proven by three doctors. According to experts, the disease occurs in a very small number of people in the world, supposedly a few individuals.
The disease causes the sufferer’s digestive system to produce ethanol after consuming foods high in carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes or beans.
He said he did not feel the symptoms of drunkenness
Patients may exhibit symptoms consistent with alcohol intoxication, such as slurred speech, stumbling, loss of motor function, dizziness, or belching. The motorist, whose name has not been released by authorities, said he did not show signs of intoxication.
According to Le Parisien, the question arises whether a person with such a disease has the right to drive motor vehicles. “Despite the alcohol in his blood, here we have a person who is functioning perfectly. His reaction speed is not reduced in any way, as we know in people who consume alcohol,” said Ghesquière.
“We still don’t know much about this syndrome,” added the lawyer, adding that her client’s ability to drive is not affected.
The drunk driver rushed to the beauty salon, stopped only at the reception
Cocktail
Tags: caught driver alcohol blood due rare disease court acquitted
