A gendarme died hit by a truck on the A13 motorway, near Bouquelon, in Eure, France Bleu Normandie learned from firefighters on Tuesday October 25. Seven people were also injured in this serious accident, including three gendarmes.
The facts occurred shortly before three o’clock in the morning, during a serious traffic accident which also left seven injured. Among them, another gendarme is in serious condition. He was airlifted in absolute urgency.
The 21-year-old driver of the truck hit five other vehicles, including two from the gendarmerie, a tow truck and a vehicle from the SAPN, the motorway company and another. However, the exact circumstances of the accident remain to be clarified. The road is closed in the Paris-Caen direction.
According to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, “four gendarmes were hit” by this truck, as they proceeded to “the arrest of drug traffickers”. The Minister confirms the death of one of the soldiers, the other three are “injured, one of them very seriously”he said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Last night, during the arrest of drug traffickers in Eure, 4 gendarmes were hit by a truck.
One of them died. I send my condolences to his family and comrades. Full support for the three injured gendarmes, one of whom is very seriously.— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) October 25, 2022
According to information from France Bleu Normandie, the latter was helicoptered in absolute urgency, the two who are slightly affected are 35 and 48 years old. Gérald Darmanin addresses his “condolences to [la] family and [aux] comrades” of the deceased soldier as well as his “full support” to the other three.
The driver of the truck was also slightly injured, according to the Eure firefighters. The driver of the SAPN, aged 43, and the two men present in the car checked, aged 25, were slightly affected.