Eight months have passed, but the memories are indelible. On March 3, while torrential rain fell on the A8, a young driver lost control of his Audi at La Turbie. It hit the responders mobilized following a first accident. An Escota patrolman, Tony Nellec, is killed at the age of 54. His colleague is seriously injured. The repairman and two police officers are also on the ground.
The toll could have been even heavier without the exceptional reaction of Cloé Simon. Then aged 19, this volunteer deputy gendarme from the Saint-Isidore motorway platoon came to the aid of her wounded brother in arms, braving pain and danger.
She received the National Gendarmerie Medal with Silver Star from Army General Christian Rodriguez. And the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes Hugues Moutouh decorated her for an act of courage and dedication.
At the age of 20, this Aveyronnaise left Nice for the non-commissioned officer school of the Dijon gendarmerie. She hopes to join a research unit, specializing in criminal investigations. With a sense of sacrifice faithful to its values and its uniform.
What does it mean to have been distinguished for an act of courage and dedication?
Lots of emotions. It brought back a lot of memories, not necessarily good ones… It's a great pride to be decorated by the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes.
What did Prefect Moutouh and Colonel Taponat tell you?
They told me I had been very brave. And that it was an immense pride for them to have me in their ranks.
Is it important to see gendarmes thus honored for their commitment?
It's very important to me. We put our lives in danger every day. This allows us to recognize the commitment of all the gendarmes.
How are you expected to intervene on the A8 on March 3?
The CORG [centre d’opérations et de renseignement de la gendarmerie, ndlr] called us around 12:25 p.m. for a material accident following aquaplanning. When we arrived, Vinci Autoroutes had already neutralized the express and median lanes. The wrecker had started to hook up the damaged Porsche. We parked behind her. We went down to carry out the findings, ensure that there were no injuries and retrieve the identities of the people on site.
Are you on your guard then?
It's raining, we can barely see anything on the road. First of all, we never turn our back on the road. Everything happens very quickly on the highway. Even more so in these conditions.
How are you hit?
I went to see the owner of the Porsche who was in the wrecker's booth. When I return, my colleague informs me that the insurance is in order. That's when you feel a percussion. The body hits me on the left side. Fortunately, I had asked that the Porsche remain at the bottom of the tow truck while we looked for the papers. It served as a bit of a shield for us. Under the violence of the shock, the Porsche climbed onto the tow truck…
Did you see the Audi coming?
We really didn't see it coming. I only remember the contact with the bodywork and the noise of the impact, enormous! It's like there's a huge black hole. I feel myself turning around and sliding on the road about twenty meters further on. I felt like it was a movie. When I got up, I said to myself: “What just happened to us?” It was the adrenaline that kept me going.
What scene do you discover?
The first thing I see is Tony Nellec under the car… I couldn't see his face. But I knew it was him.
Were you able to speak with him just before?
We said hello. It happened so quickly… We worked every day with Vinci Autoroutes. He was as usual: always smiling, despite the rain. Solar. Doing his job 100%. He was a bit like the Vinci Autoroutes policeman.
Where were the injured?
We have all been thrown. The repairman was on the ground on the other side of the slide. He was screaming in pain. The second patrolman was unresponsive. My friend had been thrown onto the slow lane of the southern carriageway. Cars were arriving… It was unrealistic.
How do you react then?
I climb over the guardrails. Then I make a gesture by spreading my arms, to stop the cars as if I were going to control them.
At the risk of them not stopping?
I didn't even think about it. At that moment, my priority was not me but my colleague.
What condition do you find it in?
I see he's breathing. His head is bleeding, his eyes are wide open and muffled noises are coming from his mouth. He barely moves. I scream for him to stay with me. I don't touch him because he risks being polytraumatized. And there, luckily, mobile gendarmes were in the traffic jam.
They help you in turn?
I shouted to everyone to notify my command. Then two mobile gendarmes supported me and forced me to walk, so that I wouldn't faint. I no longer felt anything in my body. Like I was dying, like everything was fading away. All I could hear was muffled noises. I heard the young driver exclaim: “I killed someone!”
Your intervention undoubtedly saved your comrade's life.
It came down to very little. There is a lot of traffic on this road…
Do you consider yourself to have performed a heroic act?
I don't consider it a heroic act, even though everyone tells me it is. For me, I just acted instinctively.
How did you experience Tony Nellec's funeral?
It was very complicated. I wanted to be present. His daughter's words touched me greatly. Those of Eric Ciotti too. If Vinci Autoroutes is not there, we do not work. And vice versa.
How did you and your colleague experience the aftermath?
I left the hospital in the evening. I didn't feel good there. I needed to realize what had happened to me… I went to see my colleague in his room. He maintains the joy of living despite everything. Today, he returned to the motorway peloton.
You too, before leaving for training in Dijon?
I was arrested for a month and a half. I wanted to stay in the motorway peloton because I received a lot of support from my comrades, to whom I was very close. They were great. Without them, I wouldn't have been here.
Your self-sacrifice and your bravery reflect the values of the gendarmerie?
We know that the gendarmerie is the ultimate sacrifice. I know what I'm signing up for. These are totally the values that represent me. We know that anything can happen. That day even more, I knew that I would go to the ultimate sacrifice.
Did you become a police officer to help?
For me, it's a vocation. I always wanted to be a police officer. Helping others at the risk of putting my life in danger is completely normal. People see less often when we save their lives than when we impose fines. But when we prevent a drunk driver from getting behind the wheel again, they don't necessarily realize that we may be saving lives!
Will this March 3, 2024 serve you throughout your career?
It will always be in the back of my mind. Whatever the situation, we never fully control what will happen. I will be even more careful.
Do you have a message for road users?
It's important to remind people that we are putting our lives at risk. If it can allow users to take their foot off the gas and pay more attention on the road, I would be very happy!
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