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JJ Lehto May Face Criminal Charges for Boat Accident

The boat accident in which former Formula One driver JJ Lehto was involved during the course of the weekend might turn for the worst for 44-year old Finn. As reported by several media on Friday afternoon, the former Benetton and Sauber driver “swam ashore after the six-metre boat struck a bridge pillar at 4am last Friday morning.”

As a result of the crash, Lehto sustained multiple fractures, broken ribs and head trauma. He was immediately taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery. It emerged that his medical condition is now stable. One cannot say the same thing about his friend that was inside the boat at the time of the accident, who did not survive the crash.

It now seems that police investigations are leading to some conclusions that Lehto was drunk when aboard the boat. According to a report issued by Finland's Turun Sanomat, the former F1 driver had failed an alcohol breath test and police is now looking into several potential offenses, including speeding in the narrow channel.

A police superintendent is quoted as saying Lehto might be charged with safety offences, including culpability for the death of his friend,” added a report from the GMM news agency, quoting the aforementioned newspaper.

Some kind of offense is suspected, but I am not taking a position until it becomes clearer who did what,” said officer Juha-Pekka Vuorinen, according to Ilta-Sanomat. Also, talking to another source, the same officer admitted that the investigators are waiting for Lehto to step out of medication in order to question him on the events of Friday morning.

We cannot interview someone who is still strongly medicated. The doctors say he could be discharged (from hospital) in a week and then we will hear from him as soon as possible,” added Vuorinen for HBL.
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