The cyclist named Paul – according to the Paris en Selle association which described him on Wednesday on ‘afternoon.
Witnesses at the scene “perceived a voluntary attitude on the part of the driver during the movement of the car towards the cyclist,” said the prosecution. A murder investigation was entrusted to the 1st judicial police district.
An altercation
According to BFMTV, the first elements would show that the cyclist was on a cycle path not separated from the rest of the road when the motorist cut him off and caused him to fall. According to testimonies, the motorist crushed the foot of the cyclist who, in anger, hit the hood of the SUV.
The tone is said to have increased and the driver, aged 52, who was with his teenage daughter at the time of the incident, restarted and drove over the cyclist. Despite the intervention of emergency services, the 27-year-old died on the spot.
In total, according to BFMTV, eight witnesses were heard. The first alcohol and drug test of the driver, whose license was in order, was negative.
Gathering scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
A gathering is planned for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Place de la Madeleine, to pay tribute to the victim, “involved for many years” in the Paris en Selle association, created in April 2015 to “promote and develop the use of cycling in the territory of the Greater Paris metropolis”. Two other associations, Better Moving to Bicyclette and the Vélo Île-de-France collective, are also joining the call.
The accident sparked strong reactions from elected officials in the capital, where “soft mobility”, in particular bicycles, have taken an increasingly prominent place in recent years.
“Unacceptable”
“It is unacceptable to die today in Paris, at the age of 27, while cycling. These acts must be severely condemned. I express my sincere condolences and provide my support and that of Paris to his family and loved ones,” declared the PS mayor of the capital, Anne Hidalgo.
Elected since 2014, the latter has made the development of bicycle traffic one of the main axes of its policy. But these arrangements are far from unanimous. “One morning we discovered that we had a cycle path just outside our house! », Criticized opponent Rachida Dati in 2020, asking for more consultation with district mayors.
After Tuesday’s accident, communist senator Ian Brossat insisted on the need to further regulate the use of SUVs.
“For several years now, experts and road safety associations have been warning of the increased risks linked to the circulation of these massive vehicles, originally designed for off-road use. In urban areas, their presence represents a danger for pedestrians, cyclists, and even for other drivers,” he said.
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