Gendarme killed by driver who refused to stop on motorway near Cannes
The deceased was a 54-year-old married father of two
Failing to stop for police when requested carries a risk of up to two years in jail and / or a €15,000 fine
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A gendarmerie officer has been hit and killed by a car in the southeast of France after the driver refused to stop on a motorway.
The officer, 54, was killed after being hit on the A8 motorway in the Alpes-Maritimes on August 26, confirmed Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin on X (Twitter) on the same night. The driver - who was in a black BMW - has now been arrested in Cannes.
The driver did not stop when requested by the gendarmerie officer, close to exit number 42, near Mougins, towards 20:40. Instead, the driver hit the officer and, reportedly in shock, then fled.
Read also: Do police officers need reason to stop and control drivers in France?
Despite emergency services coming to the scene, the officer, named Eric Comyn, died. He was married, and the father of two children, aged 12 and 16.
He had been “serving as a non-commissioned officer in the gendarmerie for more than 30 years and had been with the Mandelieu-la-Napoule motorised platoon since 2007”, the statement from the Interior Ministry said.
“Our sadness is immense,” said Mr Darmanin on X. “[We send] support for his family, his loved ones and his brothers in arms.”
Read also: Why thousands more gendarmes are to be based in rural areas in France
According to Mr Darmanin, the driver who refused to comply had been “actively sought” after the incident and was later arrested.
Christian Rodriguez, Director General of the French National Gendarmerie, wrote on X: “We mourn, once again for one of our comrades who has paid with his life for his commitment to the safety of all. All my affection for his family and comrades.”
Read also: France shooting: Three gendarmes killed in domestic call
The rules on police stopping in France
Gendarmerie and police on duty in France have the right to stop drivers (as well as check their driving speed) wherever and whenever they like, without any predetermined “reason”, states the Code de la Route. They can also check documents, and, if they are checking speed, are allowed to hide.
Failing to stop for police when requested (‘refus d'obtemperer’) carries a risk of up to two years in jail, a €15,000 fine, the suspension of your driving licence, and even the confiscation of your vehicle. You may also be required to take a driving safety course at your own expense.
