Alcohol may have been involved in two separate accidents that occurred half an hour apart in Saint-Ambroise-de-Kildare, in the Lanaudière region just over an hour northeast of Montreal, resulting in three serious injuries.

Emergency services were first called to the scene of a head-on collision that occurred around 12:15 a.m. Sunday on Route 343.

According to initial reports, a 43-year-old minivan driver collided with an SUV head-on.

"The 43-year-old man from Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez suffered serious injuries, but they are not life-threatening,'' said Sûreté du Québec (SQ) spokesperson Officer Nicolas Scholtus.

The 45-year-old driver of the SUV also suffered serious injuries but was in stable condition at the hospital.

His passenger was not injured.

In addition, the driver of the Dodge Caravan could now face charges after blood samples were taken from the 43-year-old suspect to test for intoxication.

Route 343 was closed until approximately 7 a.m. this morning for analysis from SQ accident scene reconstruction experts.

SQ investigators were also dispatched to the scene.

"The suspect could face charges of alcohol impairment causing bodily harm," said Scholtus.

30 MINUTES LATER, A SECOND ACCIDENT

At approximately 12:45 a.m., emergency services were also called to the scene of another nearby collision, this time on Kildare Road, which intersects with Highway 343.

There, they assisted a 16-year-old boy whose scooter had been struck by a sedan.

"According to preliminary information, a 24-year-old driver of a sedan collided with a moped as the moped was entering the road from a private driveway," said the SQ spokesperson.

The teenager was transported to Sacré-Coeur-de-Montréal Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, but he is in stable condition.

As for the young driver of the sedan, the 24-year-old suspect was taken to the police station for a breathalyzer test.

"Kildare Road was also closed until 7 a.m. this morning to allow reconstructionists and Sûreté du Québec investigators to establish the cause and circumstances surrounding the collision," said Scholtus.

The young man could also face a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, causing bodily harm.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 9, 2022.