Two dead, one arrested in 3-vehicle collision on Quebec highway

FILE: A police car with flashing lights is shown on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Matt Rourke

A man has been arrested following a three-vehicle collision that killed two people Wednesday in Gaspé.

Emergency services were alerted at approximately 1:45 p.m. to the collision on Highway 132, also known as Renard Blvd East, in the Rivière-au-Renard area.

“Of the three people who were injured, there are unfortunately two deaths that were noted at the hospital. We are talking about two men aged 18 and 19 years old,'' said Sgt. Béatrice Dorsainville, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).

The identity of the victims was not immediately revealed.

The circumstances that led to the collision between the three vehicles were still unclear at around 10:00 p.m. None of the drivers had passengers on board.

The third driver, who was injured, was arrested.

“A driver was arrested following the collision. Charges will be determined during the investigation,” said Dorsainville. “Impaired driving may have been a contributing factor.”

The suspect will remain in custody pending a court appearance.

Highway 132 was still closed to traffic six hours after the accident at Laflamme St, and will remain that way as authorities investigate.

“Personnel from the Ministry of Transportation were present and traffic was rerouted. We have two investigators and an incident reenactor who are analyzing the scene," said Dorsainville.

-- This report from The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 10, 2023