A head-on collision occurred on Route 381 between Ferland and Boileau around 7:15 a.m. Monday morning at kilometer 85.
The road leading to the Charlevoix region was closed all day. It could reopen late Monday evening.
For reasons still unknown, a driver sitting in a van suddenly left the road and collided head-on with an oncoming Mazda vehicle. The heavy impact caused the van to catch fire. Fortunately, the lives of the two drivers involved are not in danger.
They were taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries.
An investigation is underway. Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in this accident. According to our information, the driver of the van was arrested. It would be a young man of 23 from Ferland-et-Boileau. No information was released about the other driver who was in the Mazda CX5. Investigators from Quebec were sent to the scene to try to shed light on the matter.
“It is possible that alcohol is the cause, so we took blood samples that need to be analyzed, so we should have the results later.” For this reason, reenactors from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) are on site and will try to determine the causes and exact circumstances to clarify the event. It is likely that there will be criminal charges,” said SQ spokesman Hugues Beaulieu.
Several motorists who wanted to drive towards Charlevoix on Route 381 had to turn back on Monday. The area should be avoided.
According to the mayor of the municipality, Hervé Simard, the sector is not known to be the scene of such accidents. It would be more of an circumstantial event. However, several citizens who met near the site mentioned that motorists tend to travel at high speeds on Route 381.