Two foreign men have been convicted of manslaughter after mowing down 32-year-old Estelle Roaux while the two were racing each other on a narrow bridge. The two men will not serve any prison time, as they were given a three-year prison sentence, with two years suspended. In addition, they may be back on the road in just two years, or even sooner, given their history of driving without a license.
On June 15, 2022, the two men, Mamadou D., originally from Mali, and Zidane Junior NM, were treating the stretch of road between Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron and Dolus like a racetrack. Their reckless driving, which saw them speeding at110 km/h in a zone set at 70 km/h, ended on a bridge near the Oléron Island viaduct. The two were swerving from lane to lane on the narrow bridge, trying to overtake each other, according to witnesses, when Estelle Roaux was struck by Mamadou D. on her motorcycle while driving in the opposite lane.
“They took my only child, my princess… They ruined my life,” said Brigitte Roaux, who has been devastated by grief for almost four years since her daughter’s death.
Mamadou D. had his license suspended and will not be able to apply for a new one for two years. Zidane Junior NM did not even have his license when Estelle Roaux was killed. He will also have to wait two years before he can apply for a new one. Despite their repeated traffic violations, including after the death of Estelle Roaux, they will be allowed to be on the road in just two years.
Due to the judge’s sentence, French outlet Sud Ouest claimed the men would not serve prison time.
The pair had been friends since the age of 16, and both worked at a fiber optic installation company. They were at a worksite on the day of the accident.
Witnesses described them “driving like crazy” and weaving in and out of traffic, while drivers coming from the opposite direction were forced to swerve to avoid a collision. Video surveillance confirmed what witnesses had described.
No remorse and further traffic infractions
In court, the two defendants showed little remorse. Their behavior after the accident only compounded matters — both committed further traffic offenses during their judicial supervision, despite being prohibited from driving. One of them had seven speeding offenses alone since the time of Estelle Roaux’s death.
The prosecution was unsparing. Philippe Courtois, lawyer for the victim’s in-laws, called them “irresponsible” and “imbeciles.”While acknowledging that neither man set out to cause a death, the Public Prosecutor’s Office argued that they had “intentionally adopted extremely dangerous behavior towards other road users.” The fact that the driver without a valid French license was not the one who struck the victim did not absolve him — it takes two to race. This reasoning led prosecutor Lucile Babin to request the same 3-year prison sentence for both men, with a deferred committal warrant.
The defense urged the magistrates “not to judge with the heart.” The court ultimately handed down sentences of three years in prison, including two years suspended with probation for three years, along with obligations to seek treatment and maintain employment.
The light sentence for this type of street racing stands in stark contrast to similar cases in other countries, such as one in Germany, where Faraz A. was given a life sentence for killing 22-year-old Janine W.
In 2019, Berlin prosecutor at the time, Andreas Winkelmann, was interviewed by Welt after a deadly illegal street race and the introduction of a new law to combat the growing wave of such deadly accidents.
“Most of the perpetrators are male, in their early 20s, and have a migration background,” he said.
