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Five Dead in Head-On Collision on Saône-et-Loire’s D985

Prosecutors report early findings that the deceased male driver lost control, with toxicology and other forensic tests underway.

Overview

  • The crash occurred around 5 p.m. Monday at the La Pouge locality in Curbigny between La Clayette and Saint-Symphorien-des-Bois.
  • All five occupants died at the scene, including a 56-year-old man driving a Toyota and four women in a Citroën aged 69, 69, 70 and 82.
  • Mâcon prosecutor Anne-Lise Furstoss says the man likely lost control in a bend, though the precise circumstances remain under investigation.
  • Post-mortem screening for alcohol and drugs has been ordered, and victim-support services have been activated by the authorities.
  • Large rescue resources responded, including dozens of firefighters, SMUR teams and a SAMU helicopter, and the road remained closed into the evening; the tragedy is reported against a national rise in road deaths, including a 16.7% increase in Q3 2025 and 3,193 fatalities in 2024.