Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Canadian Tow Truck Driver Charged in Fatal Hit & Run

Here's the story from The Montreal Gazette:

MONTREAL – A 22-year-old man was charged Monday in a Valleyfield courtroom with one count of leaving the scene of an accident, which caused the death of an 18-year-old CEGEP student.

James Castonguay, a tow-truck driver, was arrested hours after the body of Catherine Blanchemanche was discovered about 3 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot of a grocery store in St. Lazare.

Blanchemanche, a student at CEGEP Ahuntsic, is believed to have been run over shortly after leaving the Chez Maurice bar, which is next to the grocery store.

Investigators arrested Castonguay on Saturday evening after listening to witness accounts of what happened in the parking lot, Sûreté du Québec Sgt. Ronald McInnis said.

Castonguay’s truck has been seized as evidence in the investigation of what appears to have been a hit and run.

When he was arrested, Castonguay said he wasn’t aware he had run over a person in the parking lot, McInnis said.

Blanchemanche’s cellphone was in her hand when her body was discovered.

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