The mayor of a southeastern French village was run over and killed Monday shortly after he caught construction workers illegally dumping rubble onto a road, according to reports.

Longtime Signes Mayor Jean-Mathieu Michel, 76, had witnessed the workers illegally dumping construction waste and asked them to clean it up, Radio France Internationale reported.

The workers, a 23-year-old driver, and his 20-year-old apprentice, reportedly complied. But when Michel asked them to wait for the police, the men allegedly drove and away and ran over the 76-year-old mayor, according to the station.

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The men were arrested. The 20-year-old was later released, and the driver was charged with manslaughter, BBC reported. He maintains it was an accident. The incident is still under investigation.

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Michel had served as the mayor of Signes -- a village of fewer than 3,000 people -- since 1983.