MONTREAL - Police are investigating whether a driver of a SUV intentionally ran into a cyclist in downtown Montreal Thursday morning, leaving the cyclist, aged around 30, in serious condition.

The vehicle struck the bicycle at around 9 a.m. on de Maisonneuve between McGill College and University.

Police have interviewed witnesses and the driver and are now trying to determine whether the driver hit the bike on purpose.

If they determine that to be the case, the driver could be charged with assault with a weapon.

"I just heard lots of screaming. The driver was screaming out the window and telling him to use the bike path," said witness Jade Wilde.

According to witnesses, the motorist and cyclist accelerated after a light turned green at University and were fighting for space on the right side of de Maisonneuve.

They then came up on the Purolator truck by surprise and the cyclist fell off his bicycle.

“At some point they reached the Purolator truck and that's when they collided,” said witness James Sara, who works downtown.

They were fighting over space in the road which should be shared whether there's a bike path or not," said cycling advocate Peter Krantz. “They don't have to be on the bike path as long as they are on the same direction."

The cyclist is believed to be a courier. He suffered serious injuries to his head and body.