70-year-old cyclist hit by car in downtown Montreal in critical condition police say

The Montreal Police logo is seen on a police car in Montreal on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson)

A cyclist, 70, was transported to the hospital and is in critical condition after being hit by a vehicle in downtown Montreal on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Montreal police (SPVM), several 911 calls were made concerning a collision between a vehicle and a cyclist at the intersection of Rene-Levesque Boulevard and Peel Street in the Ville-Marie borough.

When police arrived on the scene, they located a cyclist on the ground. The man was conscious and was transported to the hospital.

Police say the driver is a 56-year-old man. He was not injured and was not transported to the hospital.

According to information gathered by the police, the vehicle was heading west on Rene-Levesque Boulevard while the cyclist was going north on Peel Street.

"The investigators from the collision unit went to the scene to analyze it and to try to understand the exact circumstances that led to this collision," SPVM spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils said.

The police met witnesses, and the investigation is ongoing, Chèvrefils noted.

Police have reopened Rene-Levesque Boulevard westbound between Robert-Bourassa Boulevard and Stanley Street and Peel Street northbound, which had been closed.