Van stolen for the second time

The van in which a 17-year-old died Sunday in Laval in a dangerous pursuit had just been stolen for the second time in as many weeks.

• Read also: Accident in Laval: a driver ejected from the vehicle he had just stolen

It was around 5 a.m. Sunday morning when a teenager grabbed a blue Dodge Ram parked in the private entrance of a luxurious residence in Fabreville. Everything indicates that the son of the owner of the house knew about it, since he quickly jumped into a second vehicle, a white Porsche SUV, in order to chase the thief. The 24-year-old man notified 911 of the situation while he was in full pursuit.

It ended some three kilometers further, at the corner of Boulevard Dagenais Ouest and Montée Champagne, when the two vehicles collided.

no belt

The force of the impact caused the Dodge Ram to roll over numerous times. The teenager, who was not wearing his seat belt, was ejected several meters further into high-voltage Hydro-Quebec cables, then fell to the ground. He was taken to hospital, where he succumbed to his serious injuries. He was known to the police for numerous other offences.

The driver of the Porsche was not injured. His SUV sustained significantly less damage, mostly concentrated to the front bumper. The two vehicles were seized by the authorities and will be the subject of expertise.

An investigation has been opened to determine whether criminal charges can be brought against the person who tried to catch the thief.

Anti-theft device

This is the second time in a short time that we have tried to steal this Dodge Ram. During the first theft, about two weeks ago, the van was found in the parking lot of a nearby building. Ironically, an anti-theft device was even installed on the steering wheel. With the help of the police, the owner was able to recover his vehicle. Reached by telephone yesterday, the young man’s father refused to comment and merely suggested that the same person was responsible for the two thefts.

According to the Groupement des assureurs automobiles, Dodge Rams are among the most popular vehicles for thieves in Quebec.