Overview
- The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on January 1 in Pau’s Saragosse district, leaving a police officer with a fractured vertebra and a knee injury, and he has since left hospital.
- The driver, aged 20, was arrested and is still in police custody, with prosecutors noting he was not previously known to the justice system.
- He was driving without a license or insurance, and he told investigators he “panicked” when faced with the control, according to reporting on his statements in custody.
- Early investigative findings indicate the car initially stopped before accelerating toward officers on foot, striking one of them.
- Police unions and the prefect condemned the attack and voiced support for the officer, while gendarmes reported 72 holiday road infractions in the department, including 36 for suspected DUI.