The fog persists in the streets of Monein this Friday, December 27, but that is not the reason why the faces of passers-by remain closed. The day after tragic bus accident which claimed the life of a 16-year-old girlthe municipality is suffering the blow. The victim was a resident of the village, whose family is well known, notably in the wine world. The girl also played rugby Lons Section Paloiseamong the cadets.
A well-known family of wine producers
Difficult for residents to talk about what happened, and to talk about their feelings. Words are lacking, breath too. “I am devastated,” whispers Henri, “I put myself in the parents' place, it's unfair… we really have no words. When we woke up this morning, the first thing we thought of was this young girl and to the parents. It's terrible.”.
In the town, residents and traders all have the tragedy in mind. “Yesterday afternoon, that’s all we were talking about,” testifies Michèle, who worked for a long time in the parish chaplaincy, and who spent her Thursday speaking on the telephone with very affected parents and young people by the accident. “We were upset yesterday, I had calls from young people who know her and who are wondering what we can do”.
“There’s nothing we can do, that’s how it is.” Arnaud decides for his part. This resident of Monein runs the Union café, in the city center. He introduces himself as a friend of the teenager's father and his son was in class with her. “I learned about it from my son via social media,” he says, “it’s catastrophic, the mourning is municipal”. The context of the holidays also makes the pain even more acute. “I had planned to have a New Year’s Eve dance at the bar”explains Arnaud, “but now I’m going to cancel it because I don’t have the heart for it”. A New Year's Eve which will be all the more mournful as the young girl's funeral is planned for Tuesday, December 31.
A tribute to the Hamlet this Saturday
Emotions are also strong among the deceased girl's rugby club, Lons Section Paloise, and in the ranks of her teammates. The club is considering support for the teenage girls who played with it, and has already received support from the League but also from the mayor of Pau and Prime Minister François Bayrou. A tribute will be paid to the young girl who was the victim of the accident this Saturday, December 28, during the Paloise Section (men's) match against Vannes in the Top 14, with a minute of applause.
A investigation opened for manslaughter. The driver of the bus, a 55-year-old man, was taken into police custody immediately after the accident, then had to be transferred to Pau hospital for treatment, before being placed again under the regime of police custody. Toxicological analyzes have been carried out, and investigators are awaiting the results.
