Woman in critical condition after road accident in Joliette

A Sûreté du Québec logo is reflected on a vehicle in Montreal, Tuesday, September 10, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi)

A woman was in critical condition on Sunday after her vehicle went off the road on Autoroute 31 northbound in Joliette, in the Lanaudière region.

At around 4:30 am, emergency services were called to a single-vehicle rollover accident. The driver, who was in her twenties, lost control of her vehicle for unknown reasons.

The vehicle then collided with a statue in the centre of the roundabout just north of the Route 158 interchange.

The driver was transported with serious injuries. Around 2 p.m. on Sunday, however, her condition was deemed stable.

"As she may have been impaired by alcohol at the time of the incident, steps were taken to obtain blood samples," Sûreté du Québec (SQ) spokesperson Élizabeth Marquis told The Canadian Press.

A man in his twenties was also in the vehicle. He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. SQ officers will meet him when his condition permits.

An SQ reconstructionist went to the scene on Sunday morning to establish the causes and circumstances of the accident. All lanes of traffic were reopened by 9:30 a.m.

-This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 12, 2024.