35-Year-Old Man Deliberately Rams Vehicle Into Pedestrians and Cyclists on French Island, Injuring 10

The motivation behind the incident remains unclear. (Representational)

France:

A 35-year-old individual drove his vehicle into pedestrians and cyclists on Wednesday on Oleron, a French Atlantic island, injuring 10 people with four sustaining serious wounds, according to a prosecutor's statement.

The Oleron local "intentionally struck several pedestrians and cyclists" along a main thoroughfare on the picturesque island situated near the western city of La Rochelle, stated prosecutor Arnaud Laraize.

Upon his arrest, the suspect shouted "God is the greatest" in Arabic, the magistrate reported, an expression commonly associated with Islamist extremists.

Authorities have detained the man and are investigating the incident as "attempted murder," though the suspect's motivation remains undetermined, Laraize added.

An insider familiar with the investigation earlier mentioned that the man had "deliberately struck" the victims across a distance of several kilometers (miles).

The prosecutor indicated that the incident occurred on a road connecting the towns of Dolus d'Oleron and Saint-Pierre d'Oleron.

The mayor of Dolus d'Oleron verified that the suspect was a resident of the area.