High-Speed Chase Through Paris Ends in Multi-Vehicle Crash, 13 Injured
A high-speed chase through the streets of Paris early Saturday morning resulted in a multi-vehicle crash, leaving 13 people injured, including 10 French police officers.
The pursuit began when a driver refused to stop after running a red light in the 14th district of southern Paris at approximately 5:45 a.m. Police suspected the driver of being intoxicated during the chase.
The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a traffic light pole, causing two police cars to collide with the vehicle. A witness described the scene as resembling a “film shoot in process” due to the severity of the crash.
Ten police officers received light injuries and were hospitalized, but fortunately, all have been released. The driver and two passengers were arrested and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez confirmed that the vehicle was not reported stolen, and drug and alcohol tests are underway for the three individuals involved. Two of the individuals, aged 30, 22, and 19, were French nationals with prior police records.
The Unsa-Police union shared a disturbing image of the crash, showing a police vehicle on top of the badly damaged car. The union described the scene as “chilling” and a testament to the violence of the accident.
This incident highlights the dangers of high-speed chases and the importance of complying with police orders. According to Paris Police Chief Nuñez, there were 2,300 recorded instances of refusal to comply with police orders in the greater Paris region last year, with 40% occurring at night.
