Paul (82) dies in the accident after he drives off his driveway with electric bicycle: « He was hit by local resident » (Alveringem)

The accident happened on Thursday morning at 10.45 am close to the home of the 82-year-old Paul Vandecasserie. « The man was hit when he came from his driveway in the Hoogstraat on his electric bicycle, » says Chief of Chief of Geert Verspype of police zone Spoorkin. « There he was hit by a 77 -year -old man in a Peugeot, who lives a few streets further. The victim ended up on the hood of the car and died of his injuries on the spot. Both a volunteer firefighter who was just in the neighborhood, as our police services, the man still resuscitated – but all the help came too late. » The MUG-Heli came to flown and landed in a field nearby.

Because not all circumstances of the accident were clear, for example, who drove where, the public prosecutor decided to send an expert on the spot. His first findings show that the collision probably happened when the cyclist wanted to turn left. Both the victim and the driver then drove in the same direction. The driver of the car drove at normal speed. The Hoogstraat was closed for a few hours.

Farmer at Rust

« I just passed by bike when the accident had happened, » says a local resident. « Immediately I ran to Paul but to see his injuries it was obvious that he hadn’t made it. Damn it anyway, such a nice and quiet man. Paul had always been single and therefore had no woman or children. He used to be a farmer and had been at rest for years. He used to have a brother and sister, but he already died. He did other family here. » That cousin still arrived and received assistance from the police.

Someone who has known Paul well is the 88-year-old Bertrand Vanrobaeys. « I have known Paul for decades, » says Bertrand Arranged. “In the past, from when he was still farming. You know, such a typical hard -working farmer who had some animals and grew vegetables. He has always worked hard in his life. In 2001 he came to live here in the Hoogstraat, a few months later I came to live here in that period. So we were not only friends but from then on it was a lot of coffee, for example, in a coffee, for example, in the case of a coffee, for example, in a coffee. Paul enjoyed it, and talking to the course, but he was more and more with his health in recent years.