- Three children were rushed to the hospital in critical condition, according to authorities.
- Horrific scenes showed the broken down car next to destroyed bicycles.
Children enjoying a bike ride at a popular French holiday spot were gunned down when a car crashed into their group of 12 this morning.
Seven children were seriously injured and three were left in critical condition after an 83-year-old motorist plowed into the group traveling single file in the opposite direction on the Avenue de Coligny in La Rochelle, western France.
Horrified witnesses spoke of “terrible images” at the scene and told reporters from local outlet France Bleu La Rochelle that children could be heard screaming in terror and pain.
One child had to be flown to the city of Poitiers, further inland, for life-saving treatment, while two others were classified as having an “extreme emergency,” local official Emmanuel Cayron said.
Disturbing images shared on social media later showed the driver’s yellow Renault Twingo with significant damage to the front bumper, with the twisted frames of several bicycles lying on the cement nearby.
A huge contingent of 32 firefighters along with seven ambulances and some police officers were mobilized for the incident.
Investigators set out to determine the circumstances of the accident after the elderly motorist tested negative in alcohol and narcotics tests administered by emergency services.
She was initially arrested by police officers at the scene, but was later released and taken to hospital because she was deemed unfit to be questioned.
The 12 young cyclists were participating in a bike ride after school, something they did regularly.
They were heading to Franck Delmas Park, about 2.5 kilometers from the Bernard Palissy school and just 800 meters from the city center, when they were hit by an oncoming Twingo.
The mayor’s office said the children were accompanied by two activity leaders, regularly rode bicycles and were riding single file down the street when the errant vehicle traveling in the opposite direction hit them.
Authorities are creating a medical and psychological response unit in a municipal building in La Rochelle to provide support to children who did not suffer serious injuries, France Bleu reported.
