Gard: Man Charged with Aggravated Murder After Father’s Death in Fatal Road Incident

A disagreement between two teenagers escalated on Thursday in Saint-Martin-de-Valgalgues, leading to a tragedy involving their parents. The victim, a 56-year-old man, died in hospital after being violently struck by a vehicle.

The peacefulness of a neighborhood in Saint-Martin-de-Valgalgues, near Alès (Gard), was shattered on Thursday, April 4, by a violent incident. Late in the day, following a tense situation between two families, a 56-year-old father was hit by a car. According to initial reports from the Nîmes prosecutor’s office, the driver deliberately ran over the victim before stopping a few meters further. Seriously injured, the victim was rushed to Alès hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at 7:41 p.m.

A Family Dispute Turns Deadly

The alleged driver, aged 43, was immediately arrested and taken into custody at 6:50 p.m. Under the apparent influence of drugs at the time of the incident, he was charged with aggravated murder and placed in provisional detention on Saturday, April 6, in line with the prosecutor’s request who confirmed this to H24 NEWS.

According to the deputy prosecutor of Nîmes, the incident stemmed from a dispute between the two men’s sons. The conflict reportedly escalated over the hours, ultimately resulting in a fatal confrontation between the fathers. Several witnesses have reported that the incident appeared to be intentional, though some accounts remain contradictory. The suspect, however, denies any intention to harm.

The victim’s daughter, who was present at the scene, gave an emotional interview to RTL: “I saw my father under the wheels, he was dragged for hundreds of meters… It all went too far over nothing,” she said, still in shock.

The investigation, which has been taken up by the criminal division of the Nîmes judicial court, aims to uncover the exact circumstances of this tragedy, which has deeply shaken the local community.