(Sainte-Julienne) A young man of 18, who left the road overnight from Saturday to Sunday, seriously injuring one of the passengers who were on board, seemed so intoxicated by alcohol that the police officer had him placed under arrest even before giving him a breath test.
The accident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on the night of Saturday to Sunday on Route 125, in Sainte-Julienne, in Lanaudière, reported the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).
The driver lost control of his vehicle, which then rolled over several times before ending its race in a ditch.
Two other people were in the vehicle.
One of them was taken to hospital to treat “serious injuries,” said Sergeant Marythé Bolduc, a spokeswoman for the SQ. The authorities do not fear for his life.
The second passenger was also taken to hospital, but his injuries are considered minor.
The driver was arrested for driving while impaired causing bodily harm. He has been released and may face charges.
The police were not able to specify Sunday morning the blood alcohol level of the young man who proceeded by taking a blood sample that will be analyzed.
The Criminal Code provides that a police officer can arrest a person without a warrant if he has reasonable grounds to believe that he has committed an indictable offense. He can also order a driver to follow him so that blood or breath samples can be taken if he has reasonable grounds to believe that his abilities are impaired by alcohol or drugs.