In the aftermath of the dangerous chase between the police and a car thief in the Yvelines, a 33-year-old man is expected to be presented this Friday to the magistrates of the Versailles court to be judged in immediate appearance.
As we revealed on Wednesday evening, this criminal took all the risks to evade the police while he was behind the wheel of a vehicle reported stolen. Confused just after the fact, the scenario of the evening slowly became clearer during the day as the police officers made their statements.
Shortly after 21 p.m., a patrol from the anti-crime brigade (Bac) spotted a powerful Volvo driving with false license plates in the Mureaux area. Knowing that he was being followed, the driver tried to outrun the officials. He took the A13 towards the province, driving at high speed on the three lanes of the motorway, slaloming between motorists, before taking the Mantes-la-Jolie/Buchelay exit, just before the toll booth that opens the gates to Normandy. He then reversed sharply and collided with a police vehicle that was following him.
Arrested and handcuffed on the A13 exit ramp
In the confusion, the officers managed to intercept him on the off-ramp and surround "his" Volvo with their vehicles and a harrow. Trapped, the fugitive then crashes into the police cars. Two civil servants were injured in the manoeuvre. The driver was eventually stopped by a third officer who, to protect his colleagues, fired twice in the direction of the Volvo.
The thief then got out of the vehicle, handcuffed, arrested and quickly taken into custody at the Mureaux police station. He is a resident of the Val-Fourré district of Mantes-la-Jolie, who is well known to the police for multiple offences. He is being prosecuted for, among other things, "violence against persons holding public authority" and endangering the lives of others.
During the crazy arrest, a policeman was wounded in the wrist. The other two were slightly affected and shocked by the event. They must be heard by a psychologist. Self-defence was found by the Public Prosecutor's Office and none of the police officers were taken into custody. The arrest of the fugitive and the treatment of the injured made it necessary to block the closure of the highway ramp, causing serious disruptions in the direction of the province. Calm returned around 23 p.m.