DR ‹ › The 17-year-old driver confessed to being at the wheel during the tragic accident that took the life of 8-year-old French-Moroccan Salah on February 17, 2026, in Nîmes, near the Paul-Langevin school. The teenager, who was driving without a license, now faces charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, hit-and-run, and driving without a license. He has been placed in pre-trial detention. According to Nîmes' public prosecutor, Cécile Gensac, blood tests indicated drug use on the night before the incident, contradicting the initial findings of the investigation. Already known to the justice system for drug-related offenses, the minor was under judicial supervision at the time of the tragedy. He could face up to ten years in prison. The passenger, also 17 and with no prior record, was questioned as an assisted witness and placed under judicial supervision for driving without a license. The tragedy unfolded just as the pedestrian light turned green. The French-Moroccan child was crossing the avenue when a rented Audi, registered in Bouches-du-Rhône, sped towards him. Gravely injured, Salah succumbed to his injuries shortly after being admitted to Nîmes University Hospital. A white march was held this Saturday at 1:30 PM, starting from the school. The child's body will be repatriated to Morocco for burial. Investigations are ongoing under a judicial commission.
