(Saint-Étienne-Des-Grès) A head-on collision on Highway 55 in Mauricie left one dead and one injured on Friday evening. The Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the intervention of the Sûreté du Québec.

Shortly after 10 p.m., several calls were made to 911 to report a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction on Highway 55 South at km 194.

Police officers from the Sûreté du Québec went in the direction, with sirens and flashing lights. Shortly after 10:20 p.m., at km 203, near Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, they saw the headlights of a vehicle in front of them.

“The police would then have put themselves in the lane intended for the traffic controllers and would have seen the vehicle pass by them without slowing down, reports the Office of Independent Investigations. Immediately afterwards, they reportedly heard the sound of a collision. »

The oncoming vehicle would then have collided with another vehicle.

The occupant of this other vehicle is dead.

The driver of the oncoming vehicle was taken to hospital, but his life is not believed to be in danger.

Due to the involvement of the Sûreté du Québec in this intervention, the BEI has opened an investigation and the Service de police de la ville de Montréal is acting as a support police force. Four BEI inspectors were appointed.

A parallel criminal investigation into the events that occurred was also entrusted to the Service de police de la ville de Montréal.

The BEI asks anyone who witnessed the event to contact its services via its website or at 450 640-1350.