HIT-AND-RUN CLAIMS LIFE OF TRAFFIC POLICEMAN
National Police to lead investigation as suspect remains at large
Henri Langelier, staff writer and columnist | Thursday, 2 November 2017, 13:10 (EAT) | Be the first to share this article with your friends by email.
Beaurivage where the fatal incident occurred
According to witnesses, the officer, whose identity is being withheld pending notification to next of kin, was inspecting parking meters near the Grand Champion hotel resort when, around 11:00, a grey sedan heading down the narrow avenue at an unusually high speed struck him. While bystanders attempted to rush to his aid, he is thought to have been killed on impact by the force of the collision. Some witnesses claimed that the car swerved immediately prior to the collision, raising the possibility of a deliberate assault.
The vehicle failed to stop after the collision, disappearing down a side street. Its occupants have been deemed persons of interest by police, and an alert has been put out for the vehicle, which investigators described as a silver or grey mid-2000s Fonan Couronne sedan.
The sudden speed of the collision sent holidaymakers strolling along the oceanside avenue into a panic, with people in the street scrambling to get out of the car's way. Except for a few minor grazes, no other injuries were reported as a result of the hit and run.
A spokesman for the Andregué Civil Guard, the small police agency serving the prefecture of 78,000, confirmed that the deceased officer was on its payroll. "We are in shock at the sudden loss of a colleague and fully investigating the tragic circumstances," he added.
National Police officers from the Carillion detachment were dispatched to assist with the investigation. With the suspects still at large, officers have been cautioned to exert vigilance on patrol.