Driver charged with murder of cyclist Paul Varry released on electronic tag
The driver of the SUV that struck down cyclist Paul Varry in October 2024 in Paris is awaiting trial at the assize court, placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring.
Released after two years in custody
According to TF1 Info, the Paris court of appeal has ordered the release of the SUV driver, charged with the murder of cyclist Paul Varry. The motorist, who must appear before the assize court, has been placed under judicial control with house arrest under electronic monitoring whilst awaiting trial.
The investigative chamber had paved the way for this release on 1 October, by ordering a feasibility inquiry. The public prosecutor opposed it, fearing a possible flight of the accused person to Israel, where he allegedly had "connections", or a "risk of persistent disruption" to public order.
The defence arguments
The driver's lawyers, Fabien Arakelian and Caroline Toby, welcomed the decision to the AFP. "Two years after the events, there were no longer any criteria that would have justified keeping our client in pre-trial detention," they stated. "This decision is logical and respectful of the law," they added.
The defence nevertheless contests the murder charge, asserting that Ariel M. never intended to cause death. However, the order to prosecute, confirmed by the court of appeal in September, maintains this charge.
The circumstances of death
Paul Varry, 27, was killed in October 2024 in late afternoon on Boulevard Malesherbes, in central Paris, whilst riding on the cycle lane. Ariel M. was driving his teenage daughter, who was late for an ophthalmologist appointment, when his SUV became stuck behind the young cyclist.
The motorist had moved his vehicle on to the cycle lane. Paul Varry, stationary with his foot on the ground, shouted that the driver was trapping his foot and struck the bodywork several times to express his displeasure, according to the order to prosecute.
After the incident, the cyclist had dismounted from his bike and moved away, whilst the driver reversed to free the trapped foot. When Paul Varry approached the car on foot, the driver had accelerated sharply whilst turning towards the victim.
Murder charge upheld
The investigative judge considered that the driver, despite his denials, had killed the cyclist "by deliberately running over his body and crushing him" with his 2.3-tonne Mercedes SUV, following the altercation. The order was confirmed by the court of appeal in September.
Paul Varry's death had provoked outrage among many cyclists and triggered a government task force against violence on the roads.
Source: TF1 Info