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Cyclist dies after police car hits him – then reverses over him, say witnesses

Incident took place yesterday in Quebec, 48-year-old died in hospital afterwards

Police officers in the city of Quebec in Canada are being investigated following an incident in which they are alleged to have run over a cyclist and then reversed over him, with the rider dying later in hospital.

Guy Blouin, aged 48, was riding the wrong way up a one-way street when he was hit by a police car on the corner of St-François East and Du Parvis streets at around 1pm on Wednesday, according to a CBC report.

According to eyewitnesses, the police car struck him, leaving him underneath the vehicle, then reversed over him. He died in later in the city’s l'Enfant Jésus hospital from his injuries.

One witness, Alexandre Beaulieu, told Radio Canada: “They ran over the guy, the guy ended up under the car. For an entire 15 seconds; he was under the tire in a foetal position.”

He said he saw the police vehicle run over the cyclist and officers get out of the car and see he was underneath, whereupon they got back in the car and ran him over.

Other witnesses are said to have corroborated his account, with one, who gave his name as Daniel, saying that the cyclist was “spitting blood” after the incident.

The Sûreté du Québec has been called in to investigate the incident, which involved the local Quebec City police department, who said they are co-operating with the investigation.

A vigil was held in the cyclist’s memory yesterday evening, with more than 200 people in attendance.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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15 comments

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Airzound | 10 years ago
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It does seem disproportionate that Canadian Police can dish out summary justice ……… just because a cyclist rode the wrong way along a one way street.

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northstar | 10 years ago
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So they are helping put up the toll now? Suspect it will be whitewashed like so many before?

There is no such thing as the wrong way for a rider. *yawns*

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freespirit1 | 10 years ago
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Don't forget this is road.cc land and there are only 2 rules;

1. The cyclist is always right.
2. When the cyclist is wrong, rule 1 applies.

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Eebijeebi | 10 years ago
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Guesswork again and murder! Seriously?
Perhaps it wasn't a head to head. It says it was at a junction.
Maybe he was hit from the side. Makes more sense for him going under.
Very sad whatever way.

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3wheelsgood | 10 years ago
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A tragic incident but...
One way street the wrong way - asking for trouble - bike versus car - extreme sanction.

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jacknorell replied to 3wheelsgood | 10 years ago
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3wheelsgood wrote:

A tragic incident but...
One way street the wrong way - asking for trouble - bike versus car - extreme sanction.

You're f-ing kidding, right?

Trying to ram the cyclist to stop him, which is likely what happened to run him over, is completely unjustified.

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SamLichy replied to jacknorell | 10 years ago
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jacknorell wrote:

Trying to ram the cyclist to stop him, which is likely what happened to run him over, is completely unjustified.

Damn right it is.

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TimC340 replied to 3wheelsgood | 10 years ago
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3wheelsgood wrote:

A tragic incident but...
One way street the wrong way - asking for trouble - bike versus car - extreme sanction.

I don't know what the rules are in Canada, but in several states in the US it's legal for a cyclist to ride against the flow of traffic on a one-way road.

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SamLichy | 10 years ago
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The purpose is, like for all other fatality stories, to continue to spread awareness. It may seem a bit repetitive, but to us cyclists, who are continually given abuse on the roads for simply cycling on what some drivers consider to be 'their territory', it allows us to encourage drivers to accept us cycling on the road, and to make it clear that the prejudice drivers have against us is not going to be accepted.

I understand however, that this person was cycling up a one way street and shouldn't have been there in the first place, but needless to say, did he really deserved to be murdered so brutally for such a small misdemeanour?

Surely enough, if a person has died after being hit by a car, the least they deserve is for their story to be heard?

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truffy replied to SamLichy | 10 years ago
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SamLichy wrote:

did he really deserved to be murdered so brutally for such a small misdemeanour?

I agree. Brutal murder should only be used for more serious offences.  29

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declan bowler 95 replied to SamLichy | 10 years ago
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I see your point, however I doubt many motorists visit cycling websites

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Binky | 10 years ago
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That's what i was thinking as well!

It's like 'Virtual Rubber Necking'. It's very poor taste to fill space by trawling the web for a death story. I am positive that a heck of a lot more cyclist all over the world, but this one was the most graphic/tragic.

Come on Road CC stop the 'Rubber Necking'

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enigmaman | 10 years ago
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Not wishing to sound heartless, but why do road.cc publish a story about a cycling fatality practically every day? Do they scour the Internet looking for a sufficiently depressing story to bring to us? I can't see what purpose this latest one serves.

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kie7077 replied to enigmaman | 10 years ago
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enigmaman wrote:

Not wishing to sound heartless, but why do road.cc publish a story about a cycling fatality practically every day? Do they scour the Internet looking for a sufficiently depressing story to bring to us? I can't see what purpose this latest one serves.

Agreed because this story is based in Canada and there is nothing to learn because we don't know the exact reason why the police ran the guy over - were they speeding or texting or did the cyclist cycle in front of them?

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truffy replied to kie7077 | 10 years ago
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kie7077 wrote:

we don't know the exact reason why the police ran the guy over - were they speeding or texting or did the cyclist cycle in front of them?

According to that link in the story:

Quote:

Witnesses to the incident said Blouin was biking the wrong way down the street when a police car moved to intercept him. They said they saw the cruiser back up over the cyclist.

Actually, if you take the report at face value (!) the police appear to be almost comically incompetent.

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