Preliminary hearing begins for Quebec man charged with killing 3 people with truck

Steeve Gagnon is escorted by police out of court in Amqui, Que., Tuesday, March 14, 2023. A preliminary hearing is underway for a Quebec man accused of killing three people with his truck last March. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

A preliminary hearing is underway for a Quebec man accused of killing three people with his truck last March.

Steeve Gagnon is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and nine counts of attempted murder in connection with the alleged attack on March 13 in Amqui, Que., about 350 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

A truck drove into several groups of pedestrians on a main street in the town in what police have described as an intentional act.

Gagnon, now 39, turned himself in after the alleged attack, which claimed the lives of 65-year-old Gérald Charest, 73-year-old Jean Lafrenière and 41-year-old Simon-Guillaume Bourget.

The hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to send the case to trial is being heard under a publication ban at the courthouse in Amqui before Quebec court Judge Annick Boivin.

The accused was calm while listening to the witnesses and turned around a few times to look out a window behind him.

Gagnon is represented by defence lawyer Hugo Caissy while the Crown is represented by prosecutors Simon Blanchette and Jérôme Simard.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2024.