Police watchdog investigating deadly Laval gym crash after all, reverses initial decision

Quebec’s police watchdog has opened an investigation into a police intervention leading up to a fatal, high-speed crash in Laval earlier this month.

The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) made the announcement on Friday, reversing a decision made immediately after the Aug. 5 crash, when it stated the incident did not meet the criteria for an investigation.

According to preliminary details released by the BEI, the incident began around 1:19 a.m. on Aug. 5, when a Laval police cruiser noticed a vehicle committing a potential traffic infraction.

Laval police had previously stated the vehicle was travelling without a licence plate.

When police attempted to intercept the vehicle, the driver accelerated and fled northbound on des Laurentides Boulevard.

Moments later, at around 1:20 a.m., the vehicle lost control and crashed into the facade of a commercial building housing the Atlantis Gym.

• 2 dead in car crash at Laval, Que., gym after police interception attempt

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers, both 19, were taken to hospital with severe injuries. One of them, a woman, was later declared dead.

The BEI said it spent two weeks conducting "validation steps" to evaluate whether Section 289.1 of the provincial Police Act applied to the case.

Under that law, the BEI is mandated to investigate whenever a civilian dies or suffers serious injuries during a police operation or while in police custody.

Following its assessment, the BEI officially triggered the probe on Aug. 20.