“He wanted to end her, he was like possessed”: a tram driver saves the life of a Montpellier woman strangled by a homeless man

Les quatre enfants de ce Védasien peuvent être fiers de leur papa. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

EXCLUSIVE TESTIMONY. Listening only to his courage, Sofian Aissani, a 33-year-old tram driver, TaM employee for ten years, saved the life of a 24-year-old Montpellier woman who was violently attacked in the street by a homeless man aged 54, this Tuesday, May 14 at 5:30 a.m.

What a heroic act! According to the police, without your intervention, this young 24-year-old from Montpellier was doomed to almost certain death.

I remain convinced that if I had not intervened, he would not have given up. He would have continued his pressure and it was over for her. The scene was very shocking. I have seen nightclub fights and altercations when I was a ticket inspector, but I have never seen such a violent attack in my life. He had fingers twice the size of mine and his strength, for a 54-year-old man, was impressive.

Besides, when I tackled him, I felt like I was hitting a wall. He was really square. For me, that day, he wanted to end things with her, he was like possessed. He was scary, he had tattoos all over his face, was completely disoriented and spoke incoherently.

Tell us what you saw when you arrived, this Tuesday, May 14 at 5:30 a.m., at the Albert-1er stop.

I saw, to the side, two people on the ground, one of whom was straddling the other. As it was very early, I didn't hit it straight away. I first thought that it was two homeless people fighting, as is often the case. But suddenly, the young woman’s white sneakers caught my attention. These are the same ones that my daughter wants and, thinking about that, I told myself that there was a problem.

So I made the decision to put the tram on hold, at a precision stop, so as not to put the passengers in danger when I went to open the doors. But also so as not to block the intersection and avoid there being areas of tension on the cables.

You had the right to leave your position ?

We have instructions, it's true, which prohibit us from leaving our dressing room to ensure our safety. But there, it was stronger than me. Especially since no one was moving outside. I could not be a spectator of such a scene of violence.

Closing my eyes was not possible for me, even if he was really guy. I told myself that my intervention, even small, could create a moment of inattention which would at least allow the victim to roll onto the side.

And what happened when you came out ?

In fact, I had a rush of adrenaline and I managed to tackle him well and then stick him against the wall. I then asked the tram users to call the police. They arrived in a hurry. For my part, I managed to block him by putting my knee on his plexus.

Then I asked a passenger to put the victim on the bench so that she could come to her senses. She was all blue, almost unconscious. I understood that it was an attempted homicide when I saw the marks on her neck.

All this violence for a lighter

According to the victim's testimony, that morning, the accused, that she knew neither Eve nor ;rsquo;Adam, asked him a lighter while she was waiting for the tram. And when she told him she didn't have any, he went inside. in a black rage while yelling at him.

To calm him down, she took out her wallet and offered to give him some money so he could go buy one. It’s where that the situation has deteriorated and tipped over in violence. The fifty-year-old put himself to work. hit her then he grabbed her by the hair, made her fall to the ground and dragged her onto the tram tracks. Then he started working. straddled her and started &agrav; strangle him…

You have heard from her since ?

No, I haven’t had any. I remember her first and last name and think of her every day. I hope she is well. As for the accused, I just know that he was automatically hospitalized at La Colombière.

This is the first time you've saved a life ?

No, in November 2021, I did cardiac resuscitation which lasted almost an hour with a person who had felt unwell on my bus, at the Cité Roger stop. It was not publicized but I had the honors of the mayor. This time, I have already received congratulations from my director Loïc Messner. It really warms my heart.

I subscribe to read more