The motorist set his automotive on fireplace after mowing down the pedestrians, prosecutors say.
Printed On 5 Nov 2025
5 individuals have been injured, two of them critically, after a driver “intentionally” mowed down pedestrians and cyclists on a small French island off the Atlantic coast, prosecutors say.
The incident occurred round 9am native time (8:00 GMT) on Wednesday on the vacationer scorching spot of Ile d’Oleron, when the motorist smashed into individuals a number of instances alongside a most important highway over the course of 35 minutes, Inside Minister Laurent Nunez stated from the scene.
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The alleged driver was arrested and is being investigated for tried homicide, Nunez stated. Native media recognized him as a 35-year-old French nationwide residing in a close-by fishing group.
Earlier within the day, prosecutor Arnaud Laraize stated the suspect shouted “God is the best” in Arabic when he was arrested. Nunez advised reporters the case isn’t being investigated for “terrorism”.
The sleepy isle of Oleron – house to about 21,000 full-time residents – was left reeling on Wednesday afternoon as two helicopters ferried the critically injured victims to the mainland and a disaster centre was arrange.
“We’re extraordinarily shocked,” Thibault Brechkoff, mayor of the island’s Dolus d’Oleron commune, advised BFM-TV, including that he personally contacted the mom of one of many victims.
“You’re by no means ready to announce information like this,” he stated.
Officers gave differing harm counts, however Nunez confirmed that one 22-year-old girl obtained a number of traumas. Others had been handled for a variety of accidents and psychological shock, officers stated.
The mayor of close by Saint-Pierre-d’Oleron, Christophe Sueur, advised the Related Press information company that the driving force was “absolutely conscious of what he was doing”.
One other supply advised the AFP information company that police used a taser to arrest the suspect as he set his automotive on fireplace.
The car appeared to have been closely burned, with its entrance ripped off, as police collected proof later within the day.
