We know a little more about the tragedy which caused the death of a 24-year-old young man on 1er last May, near Toulon station (our editions yesterday). The public prosecutor of Toulon, Samuel Finielz, gave some details in a press release, received this Thursday, May 2.
It was around 5:35 a.m. that three people were hit by a vehicle as they were leaving a night establishment and walking home. The toll is heavy: a man, aged 24, died, another, aged 31, was seriously injured and a third, aged 20, was more lightly injured.
Surveillance cameras and testimonials
After the collection of various testimonies and the use of images from video surveillance cameras, it appears that a verbal altercation broke out between a group of people including the three victims, and an individual inside the establishment by night, “in relation to an overly insistent attempt at seduction towards a young girl in the group”indicates the prosecution.
When leaving the club, “the group of people, who were walking on the public road, came across the individual in his vehicle, accompanied by a passenger. The vehicle then entered the forbidden direction then accelerated towards the group which arrived to avoid it, although one person was slightly injured.”
But it appears that the vehicle in question stopped then reversed at high speed and struck two people who were part of the group. The driver then fled. Quickly identified, the vehicle was found at its owner’s home in Six-Fours and the driver, aged 20, drunk, was arrested around 6:45 a.m. The passenger, aged 21, presented himself spontaneously at the Toulon police station at the end of the morning.
“Pilot error” and alcoholism
Placed in police custody for murder and attempted murder, the driver contested any intentional nature and explained that he had done “a pilot error.”
“He specifies that he heard an insult as he passed and approached the group for explanations. The passenger indicates that his state of alcoholism did not allow him to realize what was going on. The latter’s custody has been lifted.adds the magistrate.
Concerning the driver of the vehicle, he will probably be presented to the Toulon public prosecutor’s office this Friday with a view to opening a judicial investigation into the charge of assassination and attempted assassination. His placement in pre-trial detention should be requested by the prosecution. It will then be up to the investigating judge to rule on his indictment and to the judge of freedoms on the possible detention of the latter.
