The spectator who held a sign causing a massive crash on the opening day of the Tour de France has been arrested and placed in police custody, according to the German news outlet RTL.
Following Saturday's incident, race organizers pressured French police to launch a search for the woman, who has since been identified and found and is now being held in Landerneau.
The French National Gendarmerie confirmed to Newsweek that a French woman voluntarily turned herself into one of the offices in the Bretagne region in France around 2 p.m. local time.
The suspect is accused of involuntarily causing injury and is facing a fine of 1,500 euros, provided that the injuries suffered by the cyclists do not cause more than three months of inability.
Videos from the race's first stage show the woman holding a sign reading "Allez Opi-Omi," a hello message in German for her grandparents, and sticking it out a little too far in front of the cyclists. The banner blocked German cyclist Tony Martin, who rode into it and fell, setting off a domino effect for the cyclists behind him.
Her arrest comes after French publication Ouest-France reported that she had quickly fled the scene.
Following the crash, the event's Twitter account sent a message to spectators: "For the Tour to be a success, respect the safety of the riders! Don't risk everything for a photo or to get on television!"
Race organizers threatened legal action against the woman following the crash.
"We are suing this woman who behaved so badly," Pierre-Yves Thouault, deputy director of the Tour de France, told Agence France-Presse on Saturday. "We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don't spoil the show for everyone."
On Monday, the police department of the Finistère region launched a criminal investigation and put out a call for any witnesses in a Facebook post.
The woman could face larger penalties if individual riders decide to take legal action against her. Spanish cyclist Marc Soler, who had to abandon the race the next morning because of fractures in both arms, has already suggested he may consider suing the spectator.
German cyclist Jasha Sütterlin was taken to the hospital after the incident, suffering a severe contusion to his right wrist.
"I am so disappointed; I have no words for it really. I can't really move my right wrist so it was impossible for me to carry on today," Sütterlin said in a statement. "It's good that nothing is broken, but I can't say more than I'm really disappointed to go home. I wish the rest of the guys the best of luck for the Tour."
Another eight riders had to be treated by a doctor.
Update 12:10 p.m. This story was updated with comments from the French National Gendarmerie.
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Katherine Fung is a Newsweek reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and world politics. ... Read more
