The French prosecutor announced this summons on April 17, 2025, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations against the tire manufacturer.

Goodyear is suspected of concealing defects in its Marathon LHS II and II+ truck tires, despite initiating voluntary tire exchange programs since 2013 that only recovered about 50% of the defective products.

Goodyear has been summoned to appear before a judge in Besançon on May 13, 2025, facing potential charges of involuntary manslaughter and fraud related to tire blowouts that have caused fatal accidents in France.

The investigation also includes charges of deceiving clients about tire quality and engaging in misleading commercial practices, which could result in fines up to 10% of Goodyear's revenue.

Additional cases from 2011 to 2014 in various French regions are being reviewed, although these incidents are now time-barred for prosecution.

Prosecutor Étienne Manteaux indicated that Goodyear may have been aware of manufacturing defects in their tires but failed to notify customers, leading to a systemic cover-up.

The inquiry began in 2016 after Sophie Rollet filed a complaint following the death of her husband, Jean-Paul Rollet, in a truck accident allegedly caused by a tire blowout.

Sophie Rollet has been proactive in her pursuit of justice, conducting personal research and emphasizing the need for accountability after her husband's tragic death.

Two legal entities are under investigation: SAS Goodyear France, the distributor of the tires in France, and SAS Goodyear Operations, the manufacturer based in Luxembourg.

The prosecutor characterized Goodyear's actions as a systemic concealment practice aimed at maintaining consumer trust, suggesting that some accidents could have been prevented with a mandatory recall.

Experts have linked Goodyear's defective tires to multiple accidents, concluding that the blowouts were due to manufacturing defects rather than external causes.

The ongoing investigation includes three fatal collision cases involving Goodyear tires, which resulted in four deaths, including a Venezuelan family man in July 2014 and a truck driver in April 2016.