Provincial police are investigating whether to lay charges against the driver of a van which spun out of control on the James Bay Highway near the LG-2 airport, killing one occupant.
Teddy Swallow, 23, of Mistissini died of internal injuries while being driven from the Radisson hospital to the airport so he could be flown to Montreal. The other four occupants, all from Chisasibi, were okay.
The accident occurred at 9 a.m. May 19 after a night of partying in Chisasibi, according to Sûreté du Québec officer Luc Boutin. At km 578, the driver took a turn too fast and lost control. Teddy and one other occupant weren’t wearing seatbelts and were thrown out of the van.
Police arrived within half an hour, followed by an ambulance 10 or 15 minutes later.
Boutin said he doesn’t know if the driver exceeded the legal alcohol limit as the trip got under way. She may still be charged with criminal negligence.
Boutin said a similar accident occurred on the road from Wemindji to the highway last winter after a night of partying. One person died. “I hope people will learn from it,” he said.
