PARIS — A motorist deliberately rammed pedestrians and cyclists Wednesday across two neighbouring towns on the Ile d’Oleron, a quiet French island popular with tourists off the Atlantic coast, injuring nine people before being detained by gendarmes, officials said.

Two of the injured were in critical condition, said Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. He said an investigation was underway and that he was heading to the scene.

The mayor of Dolus-d’Oleron, Thibault Brechkoff, said that several deliberate collisions left nine people injured, some in his town. A crisis cell was set up and the suspect was arrested, he said.

“We are extremely shocked,” Brechkoff said on BFM-TV. “All municipal services are fully mobilized. Two helicopters are on site transporting the gravely injured to Poitiers.”

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