Intoxicated driver plows into Paris café, one dead, manhunt underway
5:37 PM EDT, July 17, 2024
At least one person was killed and several were injured when a car drove into the garden in front of a restaurant in the 20th arrondissement in eastern Paris on Wednesday, according to "Le Figaro." The newspaper reported, citing a police source, that the driver was intoxicated and fled the scene of the accident.
The incident occurred at the Le Ramus restaurant in Paris, near the Père Lachaise Cemetery, around 1:30 PM Eastern Time.
According to "Le Figaro," the police arrested a passenger of the car, and a test showed that he was under the influence of alcohol and narcotics. The manhunt for the driver who fled the scene is still ongoing.
One person is dead, and two are in critical condition, reports Reuters, citing the police.
Paris. Car drove into garden in front of restaurant
Witnesses reported that the car plowed into the restaurant's garden with great force, hitting the guests who were sitting there. Some said the noise was so loud they thought it was a bomb.
The manager of a nearby restaurant, quoted by "Le Parisien," said she "saw people on the ground." She added, "I am completely disoriented. We’ve been here for 40 years; the street has always been quiet."
Photos from the scene are appearing online.
