Driver swapped seats with passenger while driving on highway, had loaded gun: Quebec police

A Surete du Quebec police car is seen in Montreal on July 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

A suspicious motorist who was allegedly switching seats with a passenger while driving on a Montreal highway was stopped with a loaded gun, provincial police say.

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said patrol officers spotted the vehicle on Highway 15 south at around 4:30 a.m. Thursday.

When they pulled over the 27-year-old male driver near Queen Mary Road he was not in his proper seat after officers had noticed he was "switching places with the passenger while the vehicle was still in motion," the SQ said in a news release.

He was arrested for breaching conditions and when they searched him they found the loaded weapon, which was later seized. 

Police said the suspect, who initially provided officers with a fake identity, could face several charges, including obstruction, identity theft, and possession of a restricted firearm. He also had a warrant out for his arrest when he was stopped. 

The suspect remains in custody pending a court appearance, where he could also face additional traffic violations, police said.