Overview
- Hundreds of people, with local reports citing around 900 participants, marched Tuesday in Saint-Omer to pay tribute to 19-year-old Mathis and to demand action on nitrous oxide.
- The 31-year-old suspect is under formal investigation for aggravated vehicular homicide and remains in pretrial detention after the Lille crash on November 1, with investigators citing use of nitrous oxide and a police pursuit; he contests having driven.
- The family's lawyer says they will seek measures targeting possession and use in vehicles, including license penalties and possible vehicle confiscation, with a meeting expected with Gérald Darmanin in the coming days.
- Nitrous oxide poses an enforcement challenge because routine tests detect it only within about 30 minutes after consumption and the gas can impair reflexes, perception and occasionally cause hallucinations.
- National rules do not specifically ban driving after nitrous oxide use, the Senate voted in March to penalize misuse with details still to be reconciled with the lower house, and some cities such as Villeurbanne have enacted local bans on possession or sale.