MONTREAL -- Quebec's Bureau of Independent Investigators (BEI) is closing its investigation into an innocent man who was killed in a car crash during a police chase in Trois-Rivieres.

The Crown has decided not to lay charges against the Trois-Rivieres police officer involved in the crash, who was carrying out a routine seatbelt check, when the driver, who had an expired licence plate, took off.

The police officer then allegedly gave chase. The vehicle hit another car, and according to Trois-Rivieres police, collided with two other vehicles a few hundred metres away.

Alain Gauthier, a 63-year-old man in one of those cars, died in the incident.

The BEI spoke with three witnesses in the case and analyzed the scene, as well as the police report.

The BEI determined Thursday that it had concluded its investigation, but is not offering more information because the case case of the driver who fled remains before the courts.