Quebec provincial police confirmed the arrest of two individuals in connection with a deadly hit and run in Saint-Lin-Laurentides, about 60 kilometres north of Montreal, in September.
The two men, aged 20 and 21, hail from Terrebonne and Sainte-Sophie, respectively. They are expected to appear in court Wednesday afternoon in Joliette to face charges in connection with the death of a 16-year-old boy on Sept. 29.
Police said the teen was struck and killed while walking along the side of route 335 by a driver who did not stop to help him.
At the time, Émile Martineau’s death sent shockwaves through the community.
“Everyone is angry,” said Zachary Tessier, Martineau’s friend. Tessier added Martineau was killed near a daycare where his mom works.
“Émile was a good boy who had a lot of joy,” said Lyly Boisvert Delarosbel, another one of Martineau’s friends.
At the beginning of the month, the SQ said it had located a truck in a parking lot in Saint-Lin-Laurentides that they believed was involved in the death but were still looking for the driver.
Police did not indicate how the two individuals arrested were involved in the fatal incident.
Nonetheless, news of the arrests comes as a relief to Martineau’s family.
“It won’t bring Émile back but at least justice will be served,” his stepmother Julie Léveillé told Global News in a written statement.
She said investigators worked hard to build a solid case and knowing that brings comfort.
“We’ll be able to start grieving the amazing teen that Émile was.”
The SQ is inviting anyone with information to contact the Centrale de l’Information Criminelle or call 1 800 659-4264.
— with files from Global News’ Olivia O’Malley and Alessia Marratta