SAINTE-JULIENNE, QUE. -- An 18-year-old man, who went off the road during the night of Saturday to Sunday, seriously injuring one of the passengers on board, seemed so intoxicated by alcohol that the police officer placed him under arrest even before giving him a breathalyzer.

The accident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on Saturday night on Route 125 in Sainte-Julienne, in Lanaudière, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) reported.

The driver lost control of his vehicle, which then rolled over several times before ending up in a ditch.

Two other people were in the vehicle.

"One of them was transported to a hospital for treatment for serious injuries," said SQ spokesperson Sgt. Marythé Bolduc.

Authorities do not fear for his life.

The second passenger was also taken to hospital, but his injuries are considered minor.

The driver was arrested for impaired driving causing bodily harm. He was released and may face charges.

Police were unable to determine the young man's blood alcohol level on Saturday morning as a blood sample was taken and will be tested.

The Criminal Code provides that a police officer may arrest a person without a warrant if he has reasonable grounds to believe that he has committed an indictable offence.

They can also order a driver to follow them so that blood or breath samples can be taken if they have reasonable grounds to believe the driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 28, 2021.