Quebec man who lost father in crash wants restrictions on unmarked cruisers

A man whose father was killed in an accident involving Quebec provincial police says the use of unmarked cruisers should be restricted.

François Martel's father Georges, as well as two other seniors, Louiselle Laroche and her mother Cecile Lalancette, died following a collision with an unmarked  Sureté du Québec car Saturday afternoon in Dolbeau-Mistassini, north of Lac St-Jean.

An unmarked car should not be speeding with other cruisers in town. If he's mixed up with other cruisers then he's camouflaged. That's an accident waiting to happen. - François Martel, son of crash victim

The three victims, aged between 70 and 90, were taken to hospital where their deaths were confirmed.

Witnesses say the unmarked police car followed two other squad cars travelling at high speed in response to an emergency call.

All three had their lights flashing and sirens on.

Still, Martel believes the unmarked car would have been more difficult for his father to spot and and should not have been involved in the chase.

"An unmarked car should not be speeding with other cruisers in town," he said. 

"If he's mixed up with other cruisers, then he's camouflaged. That's an accident waiting to happen. I'm mad about that."

He said the Sureté du Québec should have a policy especially for unmarked cars, and that high-speed chases should be prohibited for them.

Martel said his 80-year-old father was an excellent driver, but likely didn't expect to see a third car following the first two identified police cruisers.

The investigation has been handed over to Quebec City police.

Last year, five-year-old Nicholas Thorne-Belance was killed by an unmarked police car in Longueuil. ​

The officer, Patrick Ouellet, is facing one count of dangerous driving causing death in connection with the high-speed crash.