A village in mourning. Michel Thomas, mayor (SE) of Roissy-en-France, died on Tuesday in a road accident occurred in Saint-Cyr, in the Var, department where he was on vacation. The tragedy occurred around 4:30 p.m. on the RD 559, route de Bandol.
According to our information, the 72-year-old victim was traveling in a vintage convertible car, not equipped with seat belts. After leaving the road, the origin of which remains to be determined, the vehicle reportedly rolled over several times. The chosen one would then have been ejected and hit a rock in his fall.
When paramedics arrived, he was in cardiopulmonary arrest. “Despite all efforts, he might not be resuscitated”, indicates the Sdis 83 which, with the Smur, dispatched an important intervention device as soon as witnesses were called.
The other two passengers in the car were also injured in the crash. Among them, the wife of the aedile. Seriously affected, she was taken overland to Sainte-Anne hospital in Toulon (Var).
The third person, it seems the driver, was evacuated by helicopter to the Timone hospital in Marseille. His vital prognosis was this Wednesday still engaged. An investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.
Vice-president in charge of Sports at the agglomeration
The terrible news reached the town hall of Roissy-en-France very late last night, of which Michel Thomas had taken the helm in March 2020. This retired entrepreneur had thus succeeded to Andre Toulouse on whose list he was first elected in 1989.
Father and grandfather, he was also vice-president of the Roissy-Pays-de-France conurbation in charge of Sports and sports equipment. “We are all in shock”, we simply breathe this Wednesday morning before a short official press release. “All our thoughts go out to his wife, children and grandchildren,” said first deputy Michèle Calix, referring to “the pain” of this death.
“The news has all of us, elected officials, particularly shaken. The brutality of this announcement, which we obviously did not expect, is a real shock”, underlines Pascal Doll, mayor of Arnouville and president of Roissy-Pays-de-France. And to remember a man “jovial with a strong and direct character, who did not hesitate with his ideas and fought for his city and his community”.
“We think first of all of his family, his children, his friends of course. But also to what he has done particularly in the agglomeration, he adds. He is behind the creation of the Pass’agglo Sport in 2021 which was a great success with the inhabitants and which is being renewed this year. It is also thanks to him that an ice rink will see the light of day in the Plaine Oxygène sports complex in Mesnil-Amelot. »
Tribute messages from elected officials on all sides have quickly multiplied on social networks. Everyone hails the dynamism and personality of Michel Thomas, who was also a magistrate at the Pontoise commercial court and president of the Roissy handball club.
“A pleasant, warm and deeply concerned man for the place of others”
“I send all my condolences to his family, his relatives, his municipal team and to the Roisséens”, writes in particular Jean-Paul Jeandon (PS), mayor of Cergy and secretary of the Union of mayors of Val-d’Oise.
“Michel was a man of commitment and duty at the service of the inhabitants of his commune. His dynamism and his passion for his territory were known to all, ”recalls the mayor (SE) of Goussainville, Abdelaziz Hamida, also vice-president of the agglomeration.
“All my condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as to his elected colleagues. I also send all my best wishes for his recovery to his hospitalized wife”, wishes Arnaud Le Gall, new deputy (LFI) of the 9th constituency of Val-d’Oise to which Roissy belongs. His predecessor LREM Zivka Park does not forget Michel Thomas. “He was a remarkable elected official, the mayor of Roissy-en-France, with whom I had the pleasure of working and discussing. But it is above all a friend who left, ”she writes.
“I went to his town on the occasion of the world refugee day. I then had the pleasure of meeting a pleasant, warm man who was deeply concerned regarding the place of others”, comments the mayor of Jouy-le-Moutier, Hervé Florczak (DVG).
“The Val-d’Oise department joins in the mourning of the Roisséens, their municipal council and the agglomeration community”, affirms its presidency Marie-Christine Cavecchi (LR) on Twitter.
His death moved as far as Seine-et-Marne. “Michel was a man of convictions, an elected official constantly committed to serving his territory and its inhabitants. The GIP Roissy Meaux Aéropole community has just lost a loyal friend and valuable support,” said the mayor (LR) of Meaux, Jean-François Copé.
The emotion is also strong at the Roissy handball club of which he was president. And more widely in civil society. “We remember a dedicated mayor who was concerned regarding the general interest, always attentive to the others with whom we had worked”, greets the Civil Protection of Val-d’Oise.
Finally, dozens of citizens also quickly commented on the note announcing the death, published this Wednesday noon on the Facebook page of the city of Roissy. “A great loss for the village. All my sympathies to his family and his entire team, ”we can read.
“A very nice man who supported me a lot,” laments a young woman. “How sad, such a good person. How life can turn to drama so quickly, ”wrote a lady.