Quebec City bus driver arrested for drunk-driving after collision

Stock photo of a Réseau de transport de la capitale (RTC) bus. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

A Réseau de transport de la capitale (RTC) bus driver has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after being involved in a collision in Quebec City late Friday evening.

Police were called to the scene of the collision at around 11:40 p.m., near the intersection of René-Levesque Boulevard and Cardinal-Bégin Avenue. The 911 caller reported a collision between a car and an RTC bus, the driver of which was allegedly showing signs of intoxication.

“The police found that the man was indeed showing signs of alcohol intoxication. The driver was arrested and taken to a police station for an alcohol test,” said Constable William Robitaille, spokesman for the Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ), in an interview on Saturday morning.

“Following the test, we were able to confirm that the driver's blood alcohol concentration was more than double the legal limit,” Robitaille added.

No one was injured among the few passengers on board the bus or the driver of the car involved.

The driver of the RTC bus, a 50-year-old man, was released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 7, 2024.