CAQ MNA mourning loss of stepson who died in Montreal collision

Marilyne Picard, the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) member for Soulanges, confirmed the death of her 19-year-old stepson on her Facebook page. (Source: Twitter/@PicardMarilyne)

A Montreal-area MNA is mourning the loss of her stepson who reportedly died after he was run over by a vehicle in the city's Sud-Ouest borough Tuesday, less than 11 months after her other son also died in a traffic collision.

Marilyne Picard, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) member for Soulanges, confirmed the death of her 19-year-old stepson, London Eliot Mercier, on her Facebook page. Media reports identified the young man as the victim of the collision in the early morning hours Tuesday.

It's not the first time the family has suffered a tragic loss. Picard's other teenaged son, Noah-Leewis Mercier, also succumbed to injuries he sustained in a crash on Dec. 18, 2021. He died on Dec. 21, one day before his 17th birthday.

"There were 7 of us. Unfortunately we are now 5," Picard wrote in the Facebook post Wednesday evening.

"I had the honour of being his stepmother for 16 beautiful years. We are in shock. We will take the time as a family to absorb this second blow."

Hundreds of people posted messages online offering their condolences to the grieving mother.

Montreal police said the 19-year-old victim succumbed to his injuries in hospital following the incident in the St-Henri neighbourhood. According to preliminary information, a pickup truck travelling on Ste-Emilie Street made a northward turn onto St-Augustin Street when it ran over the victim.

For reasons that remain unclear, the teen was already lying across the asphalt on St-Augustin Street when the pickup truck rolled over him around 4:45 a.m., a police spokesperson said.

The victim was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries to his upper body.

The 53-year-old driver was not injured.

Police said Wednesday evening the investigation is still ongoing.