A tense incident unfolded in Villerupt, near the Luxembourg border, around midday on Tuesday. According to regional media outlet Ici Lorraine, a National Police patrol spotted a driver who was not wearing a seatbelt and attempted to pull him over for a routine check.
Instead of complying with the officers' instructions, the driver accelerated away at high speed in the direction of Audun-le-Tiche, reportedly reaching nearly 80km/h in areas with speed limits of 50km/h or even 30km/h. During the escape, the fleeing vehicle narrowly avoided colliding with a motorcyclist travelling in the opposite direction.
The motorcyclist was left shaken by the close call, with witnesses describing it as a “terrifying” moment.
The police managed to intercept the suspect’s vehicle at the Moulin roundabout, believing they had finally brought the chase to an end. However, as the officers exited their vehicle, the driver reversed abruptly, striking the police car before speeding off once again.
In response, one of the officers discharged his service weapon, aiming at the suspect’s tyres. Despite sustaining a punctured tyre, the driver continued his escape, heading towards the Luxembourg border. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident.
Police are continuing to search for the fugitive, whose vehicle registration has been recorded. A representative of the Alliance police union told Ici Lorraine that there has been a noticeable increase in motorists refusing to comply with police checks in the Pays Haut region since the start of the summer.
