The preliminary investigation into Steeve Gagnon, the man allegedly responsible for mowing down a dozen pedestrians with his van in Amqui on March 13, began Monday morning at the Amqui courthouse.
The 39-year-old man faces three counts of premeditated murder and nine counts of attempted murder using a motor vehicle. He also faces charges of dangerous driving causing death.
Gérald Charest, aged 65, Jean Lafrenière, aged 73, and Simon-Guillaume Bourget, aged 41, lost their lives in this tragedy which shocked the small municipality of 6,300 souls.
Steeve Gagnon surrendered himself to the police after the tragic events and has been detained since then.
Some of the first people called to the stand were witnesses to the events, but the content of their testimonies is subject to a publication ban, as is usually the case at this stage of the proceedings.
The defendant was calm while listening to the witnesses and turned around a few times to look out the window behind him.
The preliminary investigation, chaired by Judge Annick Boivin, aims to determine whether the evidence is sufficient to go to trial.
Steeve Gagnon is represented by Me Hugo Caissy while the prosecution case is supported by prosecutors Simon Blanchette and Jérôme Simard.
The premeditated murder charges put him at risk of life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years.