One person died and several people were injured, three of them seriously. The driver was drunk at the time of the tragedy. After fleeing, he was arrested and taken into custody.
22:42 – Driver in custody for “involuntary manslaughter and injury by driver and endangerment”
The prosecutor’s office specified, late Wednesday evening, that the driver who was arrested by the police was taken into custody for “involuntary manslaughter, involuntary injuries by the driver and endangerment”. We also know that the investigation has been entrusted to the Service for the Judicial Processing of Accidents (STJA).
22:02 – Driver arrested and taken into custody
He had fled after hitting several people with his vehicle on the terrace of Ramus, avenue du Père Lachaise. The driver of the car was finally found and arrested, reported the Paris prosecutor’s office late Wednesday evening, which specified that the individual was taken into custody. As a reminder, his passenger had already been arrested and tested positive for narcotics and alcohol.
21:45 – The chilling testimony of a waiter from a nearby café
He was working 200 metres from the scene of the accident when it happened. According to AFP, Le Figaro echoes, the one who wishes to remain anonymous explains having seen a car go by “at full speed” before hearing a loud noise. According to him, before hitting the customers seated on the terrace of the restaurant Le Ramus, the vehicle had “jumped the no entry sign” and “sped”. And he adds, with tears in his eyes about the establishment hit: “They are colleagues, they are neighbors, I know them after all.”
21:20 – The “road accident” track favored
According to Agence France-Presse, which is being echoed by several media outlets, at this stage of the investigation, the police are favouring the theory of a “road accident”. The driver, who was drunk at the time of the incident, apparently lost control of his vehicle.
20:50 – A large police presence and a bomb disposal unit sent to the scene
As reported by several media outlets, the avenue du Père Lachaise, where the accident took place, was closed off after the tragedy, preventing many residents from returning home. A large police presence was quickly deployed on site. Soldiers from Operation Sentinelle went to the scene, explains The Parisianbut also a mine clearance unit, notes Le Figarosurely to rule out the theory of a terrorist attack while the Paris Olympics begin in ten days.
20:45 – Terrorist theory dismissed?
Very quickly, a police source informed various media outlets, including Le Figarothat the driver was apparently under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. In the tense context that we know, a few days before the start of the Paris Olympic Games, the terrorist theory has not been mentioned at all for the moment. It appears that the driver could have lost control of his vehicle because of his state of intoxication.
20:40 – The toll revised upwards, one death deplored
According to information from the Figaroin addition to the six injured people, three of whom are in absolute emergency and three in relative emergency, one person is also said to have lost his life in the accident that occurred on the terrace of the Ramus this Wednesday evening. In addition, no fewer than 23 witnesses are said to be in a state of shock and have been taken care of by emergency services.
20:36 – “I saw a horror”: the poignant testimony of the manager of a neighboring restaurant
She witnessed the scene. Near the Parisiana manager of a nearby restaurant confides having “seen the car arrive quickly and rush onto the terrace of the Ramus”. And she continues: “I ran away. I saw people on the ground, I saw a horror… I am disoriented. We have been here for forty years, the street has always been calm, it is horrible.”
20:31 – One man on the run, another arrested
Still according to information from the Parisianthe driver of the vehicle, which hit the people on the terrace on avenue du Père Lachaise, is said to have fled after the accident. His passenger, however, was arrested. He is said to have tested positive for alcohol and narcotics.
20:27 – Three people in absolute emergency
The assessment is only provisional at this stage. But according to information from Parisiansix people were reportedly injured in the accident on avenue du Père Lachaise. Three people are in critical condition, with their prognosis engaged, and three others are in relative emergency.