Trial over Strépy carnival tragedy to begin before Assize Court
The substantive hearing in the trial over the Strépy-Bracquegnies carnival tragedy will begin on Monday before the Assize Court in Mons. Paolo Falzone, the driver of a car that ploughed into a group of carnival-goers in March 2022, is accused of the manslaughter of seven people and the attempted manslaughter of 81 others. His passenger, Antonino Falzone, is on trial for failing to assist people in danger.
The trial, expected to last several weeks, will take place at the Lotto Mons Expo hall to accommodate the nearly 200 civil parties, lawyers and almost 270 witnesses due to testify. The jury is made up of five women and seven men.
The events took place in the early hours of 20 March 2022 in Strépy-Bracquegnies, near La Louvière. A carnival procession of the Gilles de Strépy was making its traditional route from the local sports hall towards the village centre, stopping to collect participants at their homes along the way.
At around 5.00, a BMW drove into the group at high speed in the Rue des Canadiens. Six people were killed immediately and dozens were injured. A seventh person died from injuries sustained in the crash more than two years later.
According to investigators, the BMW continued for more than a kilometre after the collision before eventually coming to a halt. Emergency services found two victims lodged in the vehicle’s windscreen, one of whom had already died. Paolo Falzone and his passenger were outside the car when police arrived.
The prosecution argues that the collision was intentional, which is why the case is being heard before the Assize Court rather than a traffic court. Prosecutors point in particular to the speed of the vehicle and the driver’s behaviour before and after the crash.
A court-appointed expert concluded that the car accelerated from 158km/h to 174km/h in the seconds before impact, before slowing to around 105km/h at the moment of collision. The speed limit on the road was 50km/h.
Investigators also established that Falzone had been drinking and was filming himself with his mobile phone while driving. Dashboard footage recovered during the investigation reportedly shows the car approaching the procession moments before impact. Prosecutors further cite witness statements describing how the vehicle accelerated through the crowd and struck victims over a distance of more than 250 metres.
Over the course of the investigation, Paolo Falzone gave differing explanations of the events. He initially claimed he had respected the speed limit and had been unable to avoid the collision. He later stated that bodies trapped in the windscreen had obstructed his ability to brake and steer, before later claiming he had lost control of the vehicle after the first impact. He maintains that he did not intentionally drive into the crowd and insists the tragedy was an accident.
The investigation also highlighted a history of dangerous driving. Falzone had previously been convicted of drink-driving and admitted during questioning to a range of traffic offences, including speeding and running red lights.
Antonino Falzone, the passenger in the car, maintains that he had been asleep and only woke up at the moment of the collision. He is accused of failing to provide assistance because emergency services were not contacted immediately after the crash.
Witness hearings are due to begin on 11 May. The first pleadings by civil parties could start on 1 June, followed by the prosecution and defence arguments. Jury deliberations on guilt are expected during the second week of June.
Composition of the jury for the trial of Paolo and Antonino Falzone, at the Court of Appeal of Mons, 23 April 2026 ©BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR
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