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Sources: Tests show Diana's driver suffered 'moderate, chronic alcoholism'
September 30, 1997
Web posted at: 12:05 p.m. EDT (1605 GMT)
PARIS (CNN) -- New blood tests done on Henri Paul, who was at the wheel of the car carrying Princess Diana when it crashed, show he had been drinking for at least a week and had been on prescription drugs for months, judicial sources said Tuesday.
The new toxicological analyses, ordered by Judge Herve Stephan, show "moderate chronic alcoholism for at least a week" before the crash, judicial sources said on condition of anonymity.
Stephan is the magistrate investigating the August 31 Paris crash that killed Paul, Diana and her companion Dodi Fayed.
The tests show that Paul's blood-alcohol level was 1.75 grams per liter of blood, three times above the level to be considered drunk under French law.
The results back up conclusions reached by the elite force of French police who have been investigating the case. They had concluded that Paul had been drinking for several days following problems in a personal relationship.
Previous tests have shown Paul had more than three times the legal level of alcohol in his blood at the time of the crash, and revealed the presence of the antidepressant Prozac and tiapride, a drug used to combat alcoholism.
Investigators have determined from hair analyses that Paul had been taking Prozac since May and tiapride since July, the judicial sources said.
The results of the tests were reported to Stephan on Monday.
Investigators were also planning a full reenactment of the crash that was expected to include the photographers allegedly involved in the accidents, and a dozen witnesses, a judicial source said Tuesday.
The date of the reenactment has not yet been decided, and it was not clear whether it would be conducted at the high speeds the car was traveling the night of the crash.
Paris Bureau Chief Peter Humi and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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