Motorist rams vehicle into people on French Atlantic island of Île d’Oléron, injuring several

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PARIS (AP) — A motorist deliberately rammed pedestrians and cyclists Wednesday across two neighbouring towns on the Île d’Oléron, a quiet French island popular with tourists off the Atlantic coast, injuring nine people before being detained by gendarmes, officials said.

Two of the injured were in critical condition, said Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. He said an investigation was underway and that he was heading to the scene.

The mayor of Dolus-d’Oléron, Thibault Brechkoff, said that several deliberate collisions left nine people injured, some in his town. A crisis cell was set up and the suspect was arrested, he said.

“We are extremely shocked," Brechkoff said on BFM-TV. “All municipal services are fully mobilized. Two helicopters are on site transporting the gravely injured to Poitiers.”

Poitiers is on the French mainland.

He said he himself called the mother of one of the injured victims. “You’re never prepared to announce news like this," he said.

Christophe Sueur, the mayor of the nearby Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, said the front of the car used by the suspect was “completely torn off.”

He said it looked like the driver aimed to hit as many people as possible and “was fully aware of what he was doing.” He said the man was known locally for minor offenses, with no flag for radicalization.

The incidents took place along roadside areas between the two towns, with first calls around 9:00 a.m, according to French media.

Media reports identified the suspect is a 35-year-old French national residing in La Cotinière, a small fishing village on the west coast of Île d’Oléron.