Drunk driver dressed as mechanic flees fiery Fabreville crash

By Robert Frank
www.thesuburban.com

Laval police say that a 30-year-old man fled the scene of an accident and fire that incinerated the vehicle he was driving, June 13.

“He had been weaving in and out of traffic on Mont Rougeau and Dagenais,” Const. Franco di Genova told The Suburban. “After cutting off several vehicles, he misjudged the distance from a FedEx delivery truck that he clipped.”

“He lost control and as the car mounted the sidewalk went down the embankment, tearing off the oil pan, “ Const. di Genova reported. “A fire ensued and the vehicle was a total loss.”

He added that media reports that the driver used gasoline to set the vehicle ablaze were inaccurate.

“The jerry-can in the car was empty,” Const. di Genova said.

Police tracked down the driver after witnesses called 911 and provided his description.

“He was dressed like a mechanic, failed a breathalyzer test and was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and drunk driving,” Const. di Genova continued. “The car did not belong to him, and we’re trying to determine whether he worked for a garage.”

A 23-year-old man was injured in a drive-by shooting at 7440 la Chance in St. François, June 16.

“While the victim was talking with friends on the sidewalk, one shot was fired from a car that fled the scene,” said Const. di Genova. “His friends scattered and the immobilized victim’s mother called 911 and went to the scene.”

“The victim is known to police for his association with street gangs, and is not cooperating with investigators” he continued. “Urgences santé transported him to Sacré Cœur hospital, where he was treated for a bullet wound to his posterior and released the following morning.”

Horrified witnesses in a parking lot opposite 1865 Albert Duquesne called 911, after they saw a 3-year-old boy struck by a car, June 13.

“They said that he attempted to cross the street without looking,” said Const. di Genova. “Police were able to identify the child by asking neighbourood kids where he lived. They found the mother, who accompanied the boy to the hospital.”

“He suffered a broken nose and collarbone and possibly fractured ribs,” he added. “His recovery will take a little while, but he ought to be fine.”

Bilingual bandit

According to Const. di Genova, a young white man about 5 feet 7 inches tall got away with a few thousand dollars, after robbing the National Bank branch at 4390 de la Concorde at 6:30 p.m., June 13.

“The suspect went directly to the cashier to ask for money, then did likewise with two other tellers,” he said. “At one point he jumped over the counter and went to the vault area.”

“He wore a beige baseball cap, a blue scarf and sunglasses,” Const. di Genova added, noting that while committing the alleged crime, the bandit “spoke both English and French, before fleeing on foot.”

More drunk drivers caught

Despite widely reported news, this spring, that police would be holding roadblocks, and sometimes even after police announce the date, time and place, each drunk driving dragnet still seems to snare about four per cent of the drivers they stop.

The latest anti-alcohol operation was a joint effort between Laval, Terrebonne and Rosemere, police services, June 20.

“We checked about 200 vehicles and arrested eight people for drunk driving,” said Const. di Genova, “four in Laval, three in Rosemere and one in Terrebonne.”