BEI probes fatal crash in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle

Quebec’s Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes is investigating a fatal car crash that took place early Friday morning in Saint-Bernardde-Lacolle, near the Canada-United States border.

Early information released by the BEI suggests a car going 165 km/h drove past a police car around 3 a.m. on Route 202.

The Sûreté du Québec officers turned on their patrol car’s lights and sirens and gave chase but quickly lost sight of the car, as it was going too fast.

By the time police caught up with it, the car had violently crashed off the road.

The driver — a 34-year-old man — was brought to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The BEI, a provincial policeoversight agency, takes over investigations when someone is injured or dies during a police operation. It dispatched nine investigators to the scene on Friday.

The accident marks the 12th time the BEI has taken over an investigation this year.

Police closed the section of Route 202 where the accident happened Friday while authorities investigated.