Two drivers died early Thursday morning after a violent altercation on Highway 20 in Sainte-Flavie, Bas-Saint-Laurent.
The accident occurred around 3 a.m. at kilometer 328 between Mont-Joli and Sainte-Luce. A first vehicle traveling east crossed into the oncoming lane and crashed into the second.
According to the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), the theory of dangerous overtaking should be taken into account.
“The drivers of the two vehicles were alone on board. Her death was confirmed on site,” said Frédéric Deshaies, spokesman for the provincial police.
One of the two victims is Sébastien Pouliot, a 43-year-old man from Sainte-Angèle-de-Mérici. However, identifying the second driver is more difficult because his van caught fire after the collision.
“As for the second victim, we know the probable identity of that victim. However, forensic examinations must be carried out to enable formal identification to the satisfaction of the coroner,” said a press release from the SQ.
A patrol officer specializing in collision investigation and two investigators traveled to analyze the causes and circumstances of the tragic event.
Highway 20 is closed in both directions between Sainte-Flavie and Mont-Joli in the morning. A detour via Route 132 is planned.