French investigate whether death tied to president's convoy

PARIS – French prosecutors are investigating whether the death of an 83-year-old driver after a road crash was linked to the passage of President Francois Hollande's motorcade.

Marcel Briche died in a hospital two days after the Nov. 8 accident on a bypass around the southwestern city of La Rochelle, according to deputy prosecutor Julien Wattebled.

Wattebled said Friday that investigators are still questioning witnesses and it is too early to determine what happened. Briche's children, Thierry and Martine, are quoted in local newspaper Sud-Ouest as saying they sought the investigation to determine whether the convoy was at fault.

Hollande's office referred questions to the local government administration, which would not comment while the investigation is underway. Hollande was in La Rochelle on Nov. 8 for a maritime economy meeting.