Investigation into death of young Montreal cyclist ongoing, police say
Police said Tuesday morning a driver was facing charges, but admitted that was a mistake
The investigation into a fatal collision on Mount Royal is ongoing, Montreal police say, and it is still unclear whether charges will be laid.
Tuesday morning, Montreal police had said an American man would be charged in the death of 18-year-old Clément Ouimet.
However, hours later the force reneged on that information, citing a communication issue between the official spokespeople and the investigators.
On Oct. 4, Ouimet was riding his bike southbound on Camillien-Houde Way, near the lookout on Mount Royal, when a driver made an illegal U-turn, police say.
He didn't have time to get out of the way and hit the vehicle, an SUV. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police initially said Tuesday that a summons had been sent to the driver, but he hadn't been served as yet.
A prosecutor must sign off on a summons before it is sent. Quebec's Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions confirmed it has not received the file from Montreal police regarding its investigation into the fatal collision.
Ouimet's death prompted calls for the City of Montreal to better protect cyclists travelling on the popular route over the mountain.
On Saturday, the city officially unveiled a series of new provisional safety measures, including the installment of a digital speed indicator and more signs warning that U-turns are forbidden.
Denis Coderre, who is seeking a second term as mayor, said he's putting together a working group to analyze the road's use and see if anything can be done to make Camillien-Houde Way safer.
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story stated that a California man would face charges in connection to the collision. That information was based on an interview with Montreal police. Police have since retracted that information and say the investigation is ongoing.Oct 17, 2017 10:55 AM ET