Car plows into front of Kahnawake business, prompting probe by Quebec's police watchdog

Quebec's independent investigations bureau (BEI) is investigating after a police chase ended with a car plowing into a Kahnawake restaurant.

According to the BEI, an ambulance worker notified Châteauguay police about a driver who seemed to be impaired around 1:15 a.m. Thursday.

Police officers located the vehicle and followed it, travelling 70 km/h in a 50 km/h zone.

Near the boundary with Kahnawake, the Châteauguay police officers activated the lights on their patrol car. The car crossed into Kahnawake, passing in front of a Kahnawake Peacekeepers truck.

Seeing the Châteauguay police car's activated lights, the Peacekeepers began a chase that ended when the car crashed into H2O Saloon, a restaurant along Highway 138.

There were two people in the car. The driver was seriously hurt but is expected to survive. The passenger was not seriously hurt.

The white Kia was lodged into the front of the restaurant for most of the morning before it was towed away.

The BEI, which investigates deaths or serious injuries in incidents involving police, has asked the Sûreté du Québec for help with the probe. Two members of the SQ's collision reconstruction team were dispatched to the scene.

Anyone with information about the events is asked to contact the BEI via its website.

Highway 138 was closed heading into Châteauguay in the area for part of the morning, but has since reopened.