Montreal police say they have transferred their investigation into the death of competitive cyclist Clément Ouimet to Québec’s director of criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP).
The 18-year-old cyclist was killed when he was struck by a vehicle on Oct. 4 while he was training on Camillien-Houde Way.
Police said a 59-year-old American tourist was driving an SUV when they made an illegal u-turn and struck the young man head on.
Ouimet was transported to hospital in critical condition and did not survive.
READ MORE: ‘He was always smiling’: 18-year-old competitive cyclist killed on Mount Royal
Police initially let the driver return to his home state of California, but they are now suggesting there could be charges in the case.
The Crown prosecutor’s office says they are trying to determine if the investigation is complete.
They have to figure out if they have enough evidence to lay charges against the driver who struck Ouimet.
READ MORE: Montreal unveils new measures to help protect cyclists on Mount Royal
Alain Deschamps, a volunteer for the cyclist advocacy group Ghost Bikes, says this is not the outcome they were hoping for.
Deschamps says the group doesn’t have a position on the driver potentially facing charges, but they believe focusing on the driver takes attention away from the bigger issue: road security.
“This could’ve been an easily preventable death,” Deschamps told Global News on Wednesday.
“The focus should be more on systemic causes… so people like Clément Ouimet don’t lose their lives for no reason.”
Deschamps says the group would like to see concrete changes like closing Camillien-Houde Way to cars.
Comments