Diana witness 'saw swerving car'

Georges Dauzonne told the High Court he had to brake to avoid the vehicle in the early hours of 31 August 1997.

Mr Dauzonne said the driver swerved as he adjusted his mirror and appeared to be bothered by something behind him.

The jury has been told it must decide whether paparazzi actions contributed to the car crash in which Diana died.

'Bad condition'

Mr Dauzonne told the jury he was driving his Rolls-Royce across a bridge from the south side of the River Seine to join the expressway just after the Pont de l'Alma tunnel at around half past midnight.

Describing the vehicle in front of him, he said: "I thought he was drunk.

"My first impression was it was Saturday night at half past midnight in Paris, I thought someone drunk was driving that car - then I realised he was doing something with a mirror."

He said he was sure it was a white Fiat Uno because it was similar to his mother-in-law's, but it did not have a "number 75" Paris registration like hers.

Mr Dauzonne said the car he saw was in bad condition with a loud exhaust, and there was a large dog in the back seat wearing a red bandana.

'Pulled over'

He told the court he saw the car touch white markings at the side of the road. Mr Dauzonne slowed down to about 30km/h (18mph).

"I was almost stopped behind him trying to understand what he wanted to do and told my wife 'this guy must be drunk' and then I go on the left and I zoom on," said Mr Dauzonne.

He added: "I don't think he was trying to stop me getting past, no. I think it was more he was trying to see what was behind him through the mirror."

Mr Dauzonne told the court the Fiat pulled over to the side of the road briefly before driving off.

He said he did not notice any evidence of an accident further back in the tunnel.

The jury has been told there is evidence that a white Fiat Uno may have collided with the Mercedes that Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed were travelling in before their deaths.

The inquest heard Mr Dauzonne and his wife Sabine both picked out the same person as the driver of the Fiat from a line-up of photographs of possible drivers.

The pictures included another man who Mr Al Fayed's father, Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed, believes was behind the wheel.

The hearing continues.

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