The accident occurred at around 7:30 p.m. in the 20th district, according to investigators. The police do not believe it was a terrorist attack, but an accident, as the newspaper “Le Parisien” and the broadcaster BFMTV reported, citing investigations. The driver, who initially fled, was arrested.
All of the victims were guests at the restaurant, it was said. 23 eyewitnesses suffered severe shock and received psychological support, the district mayor said. The driver is said to be a 24-year-old from the Paris area, once morest whom investigations have been initiated for negligent homicide and bodily harm, as the newspaper and the broadcaster reported, citing the police. Whether he had drunk alcohol or taken drugs is still being investigated. The passenger, who is said to have been under the influence of alcohol and drugs, was arrested at the scene of the accident.
Terrorist background excluded
Shortly before the start of the Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, police and military are showing a massive presence in the city. After the accident, soldiers from the Sentinelle anti-terror unit who were nearby checked the car for explosives, but found nothing, as the Europe 1 broadcaster reported. Investigators ruled out a terrorist background that evening.
The serious accident at a restaurant and the large number of rescue workers brought back painful memories for some witnesses and Parisians of the serious terrorist attacks in the city in November 2015. Islamist terrorists killed 130 people in various locations, including on the terraces of bars and restaurants. This was also seen at the time as an attack on the French way of life.
The article was updated on Thursday at 6am.
