By Luc Chatel
Published on 18 Mar 21 @ 7:06 pm
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The accident aroused a lot of emotion throughout the Saint-Etienne region. Wednesday March 17, 2021 at around 4 p.m., a car mowed down a group of 18 cyclists including 14 minors on the departmental road 108 between Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert and Bonson.
They all belonged to a well-known club in the department, theHope cyclist Saint-Etienne Loire (ECSEL).
One of the supervisors present during the accident, Dominique Garde, is a renowned educator who has participated eight times in the Tour de France and won the 2e stage in 1989. “The group consisted of 14 runners and 4 experienced educators”, confirms theECSEL.
According to the elements of the investigation carried out by the Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert police station, a 37-year-old driver passed the cyclists at the level of the bridge that spans the 498 departmental road.
And it was then that a 56-year-old driver who was coming in front was surprised and rushed towards the cyclists to avoid the car.
An investigation followed in high places
Only one of them, aged 14, would still be between life and death at the Saint-Etienne CHU. Most of the others were very shocked.
“A psychological unit was immediately set up by the emergency services to support them in this ordeal, which was particularly appreciated”, underlines the ECSEL.
Although they gathered a lot of elements and heard the people involved in this shock, the gendarmes launched Thursday, March 18 at 6 p.m. a call for witnesses. Anyone who witnessed this accident must call the Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert gendarmerie at 04.77.52.34.77
“This accident aroused a lot of emotion and reactions, up to high places,” said a gendarme. Given its seriousness and its important echo, we do not want to neglect any track, any element and that is why we are launching this call for witnesses. “
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