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Peter Sagan was recently given a suspended prison sentence of three months after being arrested in May on DUI charges. As per VELO, Sagan was not present during the hearing, and his legal counsel stated that at the time of his arrest, he was suffering from jet lag after traveling to the U.S. in an intoxicated condition.
Pleading Sagan's case, he added:
"With a state of fatigue mainly linked to jet lag and six hours of sleep, he did not think he had such a rate [of alcohol in his system – ed.]. In addition to the obligation to travel with his vehicle as part of his sports career, a fine would be more appropriate."
The prosecutor then argued that the fine would have a negligible impact on Peter's income and so a three-month-long suspended prison sentence would be a better option.
On Friday, May 12, Peter Sagan was spotted riding his scooter recklessly, following which he was stopped by the cops in the middle of the road and arrested. A breathalyzer test revealed that his blood alcohol level was 1.46 mg/1, as opposed to the allowed limit of 0.25 mg/1.
Peter Sagan was reportedly driving to make it to an appointment
At the time of his arrest, Sagan revealed to police officers that he had been drinking at various night clubs in Monaco the previous night, adding that he slept at 3 am. He then said that he had to drive since he had to go meet a friend and bring them to a hotel.
During his recent court hearing, the magistrate mentioned that Peter was seen driving at around 11:35 am on May 12 and he was spotted while trying to park in a place that was reserved for two-wheelers. He was then approached by nearby officers who could sense that he was completely drunk. The magistrate added:
"From then on, the rule to be observed was to blow into the breathalyzer. The vague suspicions of the officials became a certainty."
Sagan's attorney Thomas Giaccardi has revealed that, in addition to the suspended prison sentence, the bike racer's driving license has also been suspended for three months.
Peter Sagan was previously arrested back in April 2020
In April 2020, Peter Sagan and his brother Juraj were stopped in Monaco at 12:30 am for breaking lockdown rules. When police officers tried to arrest him, Peter resisted.
In November 2021, a fine of €5,000 was imposed on Peter for injuring an officer alongside €100 for breaking the rules of the Covid-19 pandemic curfew and €1,500 for compensation. He also apologized for the entire incident, saying that the experience helped him learn a lesson:
"I am truly sorry for this incident which will not happen again."
In a hearing of the case, Peter's legal team stated that he resisted the arrest as he had the fear of being vaccinated forcefully.
The 33-year-old is riding for the road bicycle racing team, Team TotalEnergies. He has emerged as a winner at various events, including the 2008 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships and the 2017 UCI World Road Race Championships. Apart from that, he has also participated in three World Championships alongside a European Championship.
