2 dead, 9 injured in Canada when vehicle plows into pedestrians

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – Two people died and nine were injured Monday when a pickup truck plowed into pedestrians in a small Canadian town northeast of Quebec City.

The victims were walking along a boulevard in Amqui, Quebec, a town of about 6,100 people.

A witness told the Canadian Press that the pedestrians were spaced out over several hundred meters.

Children – no number was given by police – were taken to a nearby hospital, while five of the victims were taken to three other hospitals. The accident occurred in the middle of the afternoon.

The 38-year-old driver turned himself into police. He faces a charge of hit-and-run causing death, police said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his sympathy for the dead and injured and expressed his appreciation for the work of the first responders, as did Quebec Premier Francois Legault.

"As we learn more about the tragic events that have taken place, I'm keeping everyone affected in my thoughts," Trudeau wrote on Twitter. "And to the first responders: Thank you for acting quickly, courageously, and professionally."

Legault, also on Twitter, wrote: "All my thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. Thank you to the first responders on the ground."​​​​​​​

Police gave no information on why the driver ran down the pedestrians over a distance of several hundred meters.