I am not a lawyer and don’t know anything about French law. However, it seems to me rather odd that a spectator can be charged with causing a wreck while contestants aren’t.
When the Concord crashed, the French police immediately arrested the mechanics who had worked on the plane. When it turned out to be caused by debris on the runway from another plane, they charged the mechanic of that plane.
All to save face over their poorly designed plane.
So now they will destroy this woman over a silly stunt that embarassed them.
I am a lawyer, but not a French one. I'm guessing that on this issue the laws of the US and France are fairly similar. A contestant certainly could be charged if the contestant purposely injured another contestant or engaged in grossly reckless behavior that injured another contestant. But if a crash between contestants occurs in the normal course of racing there would be no charges (or civil liability) because the contestants assume the risks naturally inherent in that activity. Locking tires would be a good example of something that wouldn't raise any eyebrows unless it was intentional.
Part of it is that what happens between contestants on the “field” is innately part of the sport. As soon as some idiot not a contestant gets on the “field” that’s not part of the sport. In the long view this woman is no different than somebody running onto a basketball court and tripping a player. Now we do know from a particularly cheap shot in the NHL a few years ago that when a contestant goes beyond a certain line they too can be charged. In the end she should have stayed off the road. You just don’t enter the field, period, ever.
Looking over this thread, I think that it’s fair to say that the vast majority of FReepers agree that it is self-evident that the woman was at fault and liable. However, there are a few who apparently have a, shall we kindly say, different perspective.
It makes me wonder how a jury of twelve people can ever agree to convict or acquit anybody when there is often a sore thumb in the crowd with a totally illogical view of the world. Out of 12 people, it would only take one or two to gum up the works, and they don’t have to have an argument that makes a bit of sense to do so.
Truth isn’t determined by popular vote, but human “justice” or lack thereof often is. Some of the good fruits of democracy can rot on the vine when too many folks who don’t have a clue get together in one place.