(Quebec) Two people lost their lives on Highway 40 near Saint-Barthélemy, in the Lanaudière region, Sunday, when they were involved in a head-on collision while trying to flee police officers. The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes has launched an investigation into this event.
The incident began around 2:40 p.m., when police officers were called in regarding a “surveillance notice” issued by the Repentigny municipal police department regarding a suspicious vehicle. The reason why this notice was published was not disclosed by the police.
Approximately 30 minutes later, a police officer located the vehicle in question on Highway 40 heading east, in Lanoraie.
Shortly after, a second officer reportedly arrived on the scene and the two patrol vehicles followed the suspect vehicle without turning on their emergency lights.
“A few kilometres later, one of the officers allegedly turned on his flashing lights, but the vehicle involved continued eastbound,” the Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) said in a statement summarising the facts.
“Following various maneuvers, the vehicle involved is said to have traveled in the opposite direction and caused a collision at 157e kilometer in Saint-Barthélemy with another vehicle carrying two passengers,” added the BEI.
The two people in the suspect vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene. The passengers in the other vehicle were injured and taken to hospital, but their lives are not believed to be in danger.
Since the BEI looks into all cases where a person, other than a police officer on duty, dies or suffers a serious injury during a police intervention, an investigation has been opened. Six investigators have been assigned to this case.
The Montreal Police Department will act as a support police force during this investigation.