Key facts
- A Belgian driver, Paolo Falzone, 38, has been convicted of murdering seven people.
- The conviction is related to a car crash during a carnival procession in La Louvière in March 2022.
- Falzone was reportedly speeding at 170 km/h and filming himself at the wheel when he drove into the crowd.
- Six people died instantly, and a seventh died later, with around 40 others injured.
- Falzone faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
- A passenger in the car was also convicted for failing to assist those in danger.
A Belgian driver, Paolo Falzone, 38, has been convicted of murdering seven people by deliberately driving his car into a carnival procession in La Louvière in March 2022. The court heard that Falzone was racing his BMW at 170 kilometers per hour in a 50-kilometer zone while filming himself, driving home from a nightclub before dawn. The investigation concluded he was not looking at the road at the time of the crash, which resulted in six immediate fatalities and around 40 wounded. A seventh victim later died. Falzone expressed regret, admitting to frequently filming himself driving at high speeds and calling himself an "idiot." Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of up to 30 years in jail. A passenger in the car was also found guilty of failing to help people in danger, facing up to two years in prison. The trial was held in a special venue to accommodate nearly 200 civil claimants, including relatives of those who died and individuals permanently disabled by the incident.