Hearings begin at coroner’s inquest into fatal Quebec crashes involving heavy trucks
· Toronto Sun
A provincial coroner has begun hearing evidence at the Montreal courthouse this week as part of a public inquiry into two fatal crashes involving trucks that occurred last year.
The inquiry, held by coroner Dave Kimpton, will hear evidence into two crashes that took the lives of three people.
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In one case, on July 15, 2025, in Ange-Gardien, Madeline Darby, 85, was killed and three other people were injured when the vehicles they were in were struck by a large truck carrying more than 15 tonnes of rocks on Highway 235.
One of the first witnesses to testify, a Sûreté du Québec investigator, told Kimpton the collision was caused by the driver of a smaller vehicle who stopped on the highway and misjudged the distance of the vehicles behind them.
The person behind the wheel of the truck didn’t have time to switch to a left-hand lane, the investigator said, adding no criminal motive was involved.
In the other case, on Aug. 27, 2025, Tanya Lalonde and her five-year-old son were killed in a collision on Highway 30, near Boucherville.
“In addition to these three deaths, the coroner may, if deemed necessary, consider other fatal events that occurred under similar circumstances, in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation,” the coroner’s bureau said in a release.
“The entire process aims to thoroughly analyze the causes and circumstances surrounding these deaths, highlight contributing factors, and foster broader reflection on road safety issues involving heavy trucks. It will also allow for the formulation of recommendations to prevent future deaths in similar circumstances.”