FRANCE: THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF THE RITZ HOTEL ARE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE CAR CRASH THAT KILLED PRINCESS DIANA

Record ID: 917319

  • Title: FRANCE: THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF THE RITZ HOTEL ARE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE CAR CRASH THAT KILLED PRINCESS DIANA
  • Date: 25th August 1998
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 31, 1997) (RTV) SV VARIOUS OF CRASH SCENE IN PARIS UNDERPASS (12 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 6th July 2005 18:40
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA2I3V2MC490J73JGBGN6TUEN4P
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: A French magistrate investigating the car crash that killed Princess Diana has questioned the president and the director of the Ritz Hotel separately about events leading up to the crash.

    The Ritz's director Claude Roulet declined to comment as he left magistrate Herve Stephan's office at the Paris law courts on Tuesday (August 25).

    Diana and her companion Dodi Al Fayed dined at the Ritz just before their fatal accident almost one year ago.

    Their chauffeur, Henri Paul, who also died in the high-speed August 31 smash, was on the Ritz payroll and the black Mercedes limousine had been rented by the hotel.

    Stephan was due to have asked Roulet about the circumstances in which Paul took the wheel of the Mercedes.

    Paul had a criminal level of alcohol in his blood, was not licensed to drive the heavyweight limousine and was driving at a speed of between 150 and 180 kph (90-110 mph) when he lost control, investigators say.

    Investigators have begun wrapping up their final report to Stephan and are expected to conclude that alcohol and excessive speed were fundamentally to blame for the crash.

    However, Stephan is now focusing on whether the Ritz, owned by al Fayed's father, Mohamed al Fayed, or the company which rented the Mercedes should share the blame.

    Ritz barman Alain Willaumez has told investigators that another Ritz employee President of the hotel Frank Klein, who was questioned by Stephan earlier on Tuesday, urged him -- for the good of the royal family -- to testify that Paul had drunk only fruit juice at the Ritz bar before driving that night.

    Willaumez has said that in fact Paul was staggering as he left the hotel to take Diana and Dodi on their last drive.

    The Ritz hotel has declined to comment on the testimony of Klein and Roulet.
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