The day after the terrible accident which occurred on Saturday shortly after 9 p.m., chemin de Bastide Rouge, in La Bocca, the scenario of the tragedy is gradually taking shape. A 4-year-old child was fatally struck by a car. According to the first testimonies collected, the little boy and his family were taking part in a wedding which was being held in a village hall, a few steps away.
In the middle of the evening, the child reportedly saw his father on the other side of the road and crossed a pedestrian crossing to join him. It was at that moment that a vehicle suddenly appeared and mowed him down.
An autopsy will be performed in the coming days.
The driver, who appeared to be driving at a normal speed, was unable to avoid the toddler, who was invisible from the passenger compartment. He hit him before running over him.
The firefighters, who arrived quickly on the scene, were unable to resuscitate the young victim, despite cardiac massage lasting more than 30 minutes.
The emergency services also had to take care of four witnesses to the accident, who were traumatised by the scene. All were taken to Cannes hospital.
The driver, extremely shocked, initially stopped.
Frightened by the crowd that had formed around him immediately after the collision, he had left the scene when the police arrived. He quickly contacted the police to give his address, and waited for them to come and arrest him at his home in La Roquette-sur-Siagne.
This 32-year-old man, unknown to the police and the courts, was taken into custody at the Cannes police station, where he was still on Sunday evening.
Alcohol and drug tests were negative. An autopsy on the child is expected to take place in the coming days and the investigation into “manslaughter” continues.
