Photo Credit: Trysil via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit: Christian Jansky via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit: Christian Jansky via Wikimedia Commons

After appearing in court at La Chaux-de-Fonds for multiple traffic violations, former World Cup Champion Didier Cuche denies that he was intoxicated while driving back home from a friend’s barbecue back on June 21st of 2014.

According to The Local, the incident occurred when Cuche swerved to avoid an animal and consequently hit “two striped road barrier posts” around midnight. Cuche then left the scene of the accident and left a message for police on an automated answering machine hours later.

Also: [Remember that time Didier Cuche skied his last World Cup Race on wood skis.]

The former ski racer claims he only had a couple of glasses of wine before leaving the barbecue and that he was not intoxicated when the accident happened. However, according to police officials, Cuche concealed the amount of damage done to his vehicle as well as drove the vehicle home even though it was unfit for street use.

Photo Credit: Trysil via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit: Trysil via Wikimedia Commons

Cuche’s lawyers maintain that he was operating out of self-preservation and not trying to evade the law. In a press conference after the court hearing, Cuche explained his rationale. “I know that these images would have ended up landing in the press,” Cuche told reporters indicating that if he has stayed at the scene, his car’s appearance would have become hearsay tabloid fodder. “I am very sensitive to these questions of images, that can quickly degenerate” adding, “My image has always been important to me.”

The court is set to reach a verdict by the end of September

Didier Cuche World Cup Stats

  • 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 FIS World Cup Downhill Champion
  • 2009 FIS World Cup Giant Slalom Champion
  • 2011 FIS World Cup Super-G Champion
  • Silver Medal in the Super-G at the 1998 Nagano Olympics
  • 22 World Cup Victories
  • 67 World Cup Podiums

 

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