In the night between April 26 and April 27, 2026, a routine road check in Vacqueyras turned into a high-risk chase involving country roads and shots fired by the gendarmes. Behind the wheel was a 57-year-old man, armed, intoxicated, and in distress, who led the police on a very dangerous pursuit.
A routine road check turned into a high-speed chase, with shots fired by the gendarmes, an armed, intoxicated, and drugged driver, and miraculously, no injuries. In Vaucluse, between 2:00 and 3:30 in the night of Sunday, April 26 to Monday, April 27, 2026, a simple check in the town of Vacqueyras escalated into a pursuit on country roads after a clear refusal to comply. Despite a flat tire, the fugitive continued driving, prompting two gendarmes to use their service weapons before finally apprehending him.
Unfortunately, scenarios like this are no longer exceptional. According to the Ministry of the Interior’s statistical service, nearly 23,200 road refusals to comply were recorded in France in 2023, with about 4,400 putting others in danger and 500 directly targeting internal security forces, highlighting the tension faced by patrols. In the night in Var, everything unfolded between Vacqueyras and the border of Gigondas, under the supervision of the Carpentras public prosecutor, with a 57-year-old driver armed with alcohol, drugs, and dark intentions, increasing pressure on the ground.
Context:
The incident described in the article involves a high-speed chase that started with a routine road check and escalated due to the driver’s refusal to comply with the authorities.
Fact Check:
The article mentions statistics from the Ministry of the Interior regarding road refusals to comply in France in 2023, highlighting the risks faced by law enforcement officers in such situations.
