“I saw men having sex”: the insecurity of the Vergèze fitness trail, where the jogger was attacked, told by local residents

Emotions are still running high in the town of Vergèze this Sunday, January 12, the day after the attack on the 44-year-old jogger living in Aigues-Vives. The man, believed to be around thirty years old, has not yet been found. In the town of nearly 6,000 inhabitants, the gendarmes are therefore continuing their search this Sunday. As for the victim, it would be a mother of five children who came to Vergèze this Saturday morning, to drop off some of them at the athletics club. While waiting to collect them, she went for a jog in the fitness trail next door, where she unfortunately crossed paths with her attacker. Thanks to witnesses at the scene who intervened, the individual was put to flight. “The causes of the act are undetermined”specifies the public prosecutor of the Nîmes court, Cécile Gensac.

The victim's condition stabilized but still fragile

The mother, injured with a knife in the back and throat, was transferred to Nîmes University Hospital. This Sunday, his vital prognosis was no longer in jeopardy, “but his condition is still very fragile”specifies Pascale Fortunat-Deschamps, mayor of Vergèze on her social networks. The search is therefore continuing, and an investigation into attempted intentional homicide has been opened by the Nîmes prosecutor. The Gard gendarmerie, for its part, launched a call for witnesses . This Sunday evening, parents of students also received a message calling for safety and inviting their child to immediately enter the school upon their arrival, and on the bus or other means of transport upon their exit.“In conjunction with the national gendarmerie services, the PE classes which were to take place at the health and/or orientation course will be replaced by a PE activity at another location”

we can read in particular.

Condom packaging, exhibition scenes On the evening of the events, the mayor of the town also spoke on her networks on this“tragic attack” . In particular, she specified that “Public lighting will remain on until search operations are completed.” A message which will be keenly commented on by residents, particularly when the mayor mentions “a dramatic attack but fortunately isolated”.“Madam Mayor, this is not an isolated case, at the fitness trail it is not the first time, and given the holes in the fence from the motorway rest area, I formally prohibit children from been going there since 2016 and when they did their orienteering in the middle school curriculum, I was never calm, fearing the worst” comments one of them.“For months we have been alerting the authorities about the deterioration of sexual practices/exhibitions/drugs in the park directly

“, adds another.

A man found inanimate and dressed as a sadomasochist in 2020 A situation observed on site, where you will only have to walk a few meters at the fitness trail, not far from where the attack took place, to observe the first holes in the fences.“And every time there is a hole, there are condom wrappers, paper towels, bottles…”

describes a local resident who takes us to the site. Improvised passages which allow people to pass from the Vergèze motorway area to the park, where some allegedly engage in exhibitionist sexual practices. If in the case of the attack, there is no evidence to say whether the individual passed that way or would have gone to the park by another route, the couple maintains that these holes cause major security problems.“While walking with my children, I saw men having sex” supports his partner. A walker with his crossed dog in the same park confirms these scenes.“We meet them every day”

he gets exasperated. According to the newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré, in 2020, a man was found unconscious in sadomasochist attire at the Vergèze Sud rest area…

“And there are also young people who pass their goods under the fences, then others collect them on the other side, at the rest area before heading towards the motorway” completes the Vergézois. A situation which exasperates these inhabitants, especially since the holes are numerous.“We try to plug them back at our own expense when we can, but the next day there is another one. And then, when we see that gates are installed to facilitate access, it makes us angry” specifies the local resident. According to them, accesses installed by Vinci Autoroutes, which would be in charge of maintaining the fences. Information not confirmed by the company which has not yet responded to our requests, just like the mayor of Vergèze, also contacted.“What we are asking is that the park be secure, with walls if necessary, and that cameras be installed”