Overview
- Autopsies confirmed the three victims, aged 14, 15 and 19, died by drowning after their car overturned into a private pool in Alès.
- Preliminary toxicology shows the 19-year-old front-seat occupant tested positive for cannabis and alcohol, while the 14-year-old tested negative; who was driving remains undetermined.
- Multiple nitrous oxide canisters, along with alcohol and a small amount of cannabis, were found in the vehicle, and specialized analyses for nitrous oxide exposure are underway.
- The prosecutor said there was only a brief, aborted police chase earlier in the night and no pursuit at the time of the crash; the driver did not hold a license.
- The car missed a tight, rain-slicked bend, struck a low wall, and became wedged in the narrow pool, hindering rescue efforts until the homeowner discovered it around 6 a.m.