French actor Pierre Palmade, who’s been embroiled in a series of scandals over the past month, will be placed in pre-trial detention over a serious road accident he was involved in while high on cocaine.
On Monday, a Paris appeals court ruled that the 54-year-old should be moved from the hospital — where he’s been under house-arrest since the February 10 crash — into temporary detention while he awaits trial.
The actor tested positive for cocaine at the time of the head-on collision which left three people badly injured. A pregnant woman lost her baby, and her brother-in-law and his six-year-old son were taken to intensive care, where they remain in critical condition.
Palmade admitted to taking the drug before getting behind the wheel. He was placed under formal investigation for manslaughter and causing involuntary injuries while under the influence of a mind-altering drug.
The appeals court ruling comes two days after French media reported that Palmade had suffered a stroke while in an addiction facility at a hospital in the Paris suburbs – the Journal du Dimanche said that he was “conscious but very weak.”
The case has caused a media frenzy in France, as tabloids latched onto a scandal involving a well-known actor with a history of addiction.
Palmade, who is known for his roles in the Asterix movies as well as several TV and theatre shows, has been vocal about his struggles with addiction. He was previously found guilty of taking cocaine in 1995 and was arrested on another drugs offence in 2019.
A little over a week after the road accident, French police opened another investigation into Palmade over possession of child pornography.
After receiving an anonymous tip, authorities raided Palmade’s Paris apartment and his country home on February 19, leaving with several of his electronics and personal affairs. No charges have yet been made against the actor.
If found guilty of possessing child pornography, he could face up to five years in prison and a fine of €75,000.
Additional sources • JDD