The trial of a van driver charged with stabbing a cyclist in Paris has been postponed until November 4th by the criminal court. The 39-year-old man was scheduled to appear on Friday on charges of aggravated assault with a weapon resulting in less than eight days of incapacity for work. Pending the new hearing, he remains free under judicial supervision, which includes a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the other party involved and a requirement to undergo psychological treatment.
The incident occurred on Tuesday on Rue de Sèze in the 9th arrondissement. An altercation broke out after the van parked in a bike lane. According to the investigation, the driver allegedly threw the first punch before the cyclist retaliated by striking him several times through the van window. The driver then reportedly used a knife, stabbing the 24-year-old delivery driver in the throat. The driver was prescribed six days of sick leave, while the driver received two days.
The defense cites mutual violence.
The driver's lawyer, Adrien Robin, obtained a postponement of the hearing so that the cyclist could also be summoned. The defense argues that the case should be examined as an altercation in which the two men exchanged blows, rather than a unilateral assault. The driver, who claims he pulled out his knife out of fear, had fled the scene before being apprehended a few hours later.
The case comes amid heightened tensions in Paris over the sharing of road space between motorists and cyclists. It notably prompted a reaction from the mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire. The most striking precedent remains the death of Paul Varry, a 27-year-old cyclist crushed in October 2024 by the driver of an SUV after an altercation in the 8th arrondissement. In that separate case, the driver is to be tried for murder before the Paris Assize Court.
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