Sunday, August 18, is the last of the three-day flea market. Around 6:15 a.m., the first exhibitors and volunteers begin to converge. A street in the town center is blocked when Marcus, one of the organizers, arrives with his car in the secure perimeter: “I was about to take up my post at the barrier when I heard a strange noise,” he explains. “I saw a car on the rim coming full speed from the Saint-Aulaye road. It was going at 70 km/h, smashed through the barrier and sent it 15 meters away.”
The Citroën C4 Picasso continued on its way “as if nothing had happened,” according to witnesses. “The volunteers and exhibitors were setting up. I was mostly afraid for them before thinking about myself,” recalls Marcus. He [NDLR : le conducteur] grazed them within 2 cm, but none were hurt. My first thought was to follow him, keeping my cool, while telling the others to move aside.”
“I’m going to kill you”
The young man shouts as he sticks his head out the window, honks his horn, but nothing works: the crazy car moves forward. Until it is stopped by chance in traffic, in front of the restaurant Au Bon Accueil. The organizer then calls the police and shouts at the driver: “You almost killed people!” The man, a 1.90 m tall guy, gets out of the car, comes forward and threatens Marcus with “I’m going to kill you”: “He tried to chase me,” says the latter. “I risked my life. An exhibitor tripped him and he went back to his car. Still on a rim, he drove towards Saint-Germain-du-Salembre.”
Finally, thanks to the registration plate, the police were able to trace the suspect, aged 26, to his home. He is said to have set fire to his vehicle in Neuvic to avoid being caught.
