The driver had fatally mowed down Aymen, a 13-year-old teenager, during the celebrations of the World Cup semi-final between France and Morocco in Montpellier.

The driver, who had been on the run since December 14, was arrested near Perpignan on Tuesday, according to information from our colleagues from France 3 Occitanie.

“The defendant was arrested early this morning near Perpignan by investigators from the Territorial Directorate of the Montpellier Judicial Police in execution of an arrest warrant issued by an investigating judge,” said the prosecutor. of the Republic, Fabrice Bélargent.

The suspect is said to be 20 years old and would have returned from Spain at night before being arrested at 6 a.m. near Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. 

“Actively wanted by law enforcement” 

The driver was quickly "identified" after the fact thanks to images of the homicide and testimonies and had been "actively sought by the police" since mid-December.

The teenager died shortly after his medical treatment and the suspect's car was found abandoned the same evening, near the accident.

On several videos broadcast on social networks and presented by Internet users as showing the scene of the accident, we see a white car suddenly perform a maneuver, and hit several people, before fleeing. 

White roses in Montpellier

This tragedy had mourned the celebrations for the qualification of France in the final of the World Cup against Morocco and caused a great stir.

Last Tuesday, a thousand people paraded in Montpellier, white roses in hand, to pay a last tribute to the teenager.

The facts took place in the impoverished district of La Paillade in the northwest of Montpellier.

In 2019, during celebrations following an African Cup of Nations (CAN) match, another accident took place in the same neighborhood.

A supporter had lost control of his vehicle and hit a mother and her baby.

The mother died instantly and the child was seriously injured.

Miscellaneous facts

Montpellier: White roses and prayers for the teenager broke during the World Cup

Miscellaneous facts

Montpellier: The driver who killed an "identified" teenager, according to the prefect

  • Miscellaneous facts

  • Homicide

  • Manslaughter

  • World Cup 2022

  • Montpellier

  • Occitania

  • Languedoc Roussillon

  • Perpignan