A 24-year-old man was arrested Sunday morning in connection with two separate collisions involving a taxi and another vehicle.
According to Montreal police, the first collision — between the 24-year-old driver and a taxi cab — happened at around 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of Rosemont Boulevard and Christophe-Colomb Avenue.
As both drivers were filling out accident reports, police said the suspect drove off at high speed heading northbound — against the flow of traffic — on Christophe-Colomb Avenue.
The taxi driver — a 65-year-old man — gave chase in his cab, also heading north in the southbound lanes.
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The second collision happened seven blocks away, when a northbound vehicle attempting a legal left-hand turn onto Villeray Street was struck by the vehicle fleeing the scene of the first crash.
According to Boiselle, the suspect’s car spun out of control and smashed into a lamppost before bursting into flames.
It was a Montreal firefighter heading to work who helped the driver and his passenger — a woman in her 20s — escape the wreckage, Boiselle said.
The woman was rushed to hospital to be treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
“She suffered serious leg and pelvic injuries,” Boiselle said.
The driver of the vehicle was arrested for impaired and dangerous driving.
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Boiselle said he was taken to hospital for a blood analysis in order to determine the amount of alcohol in his system.
The taxi driver was not injured in the collision. Police said he could also face charges in connection with the events.
The two occupants of the third vehicle were treated for shock at the scene.
The intersection was closed for several hours to allow for the investigation.
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