Operator of Crans-Montana disaster bar held in custody over domestic violence
Jacques Moretti, owner of the bar destroyed in the New Year's Eve catastrophe in Crans-Montana, has been arrested for seriously assaulting his wife.
Bar owner remanded in custody after New Year's Eve disaster
Jacques Moretti, owner of the "Le Constellation" bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, is being held in custody awaiting trial. According to n-tv, citing television broadcaster Léman Bleu, he had so severely assaulted his wife Jessica Moretti that she had to be admitted to hospital.
The arrest comes while the couple is already under investigation over the fire disaster on New Year's Eve night. In the fire in the basement of the bar, 41 people died, mostly young guests; a further 115 were injured. The bar owners are accused of negligent manslaughter, negligent assault and negligent arson.
The Morettis' lawyers declared on Sunday evening that the new allegations concerned "exclusively the private life" of the couple. At the same time, they acknowledged that these stood "in a context which cannot be ignored: that of a particularly severe ordeal which the two of them have been attempting to face together since 1 January".
In June, the public prosecutor's office brought a further charge against Jessica Moretti: document falsification in connection with an invoice from 2015. The allegation concerns the purchase of foam during renovation work on the premises at that time. Investigators suspect that this very foam, which served as ceiling cladding, accelerated the fire — allegedly triggered by firework fountains on bottles that came too close to the ceiling.
In addition to the bar owners, other suspected parties responsible are coming under the scrutiny of justice. The local authority already acknowledged that no fire safety inspections had been carried out in the bar since 2019, despite these being legally required annually.
Source: n-tv