Montreal

13-year-old French tourist dies after dogsled crash northwest of Montreal

A coroner will investigate the death of a 13-year-old French tourist who struck a tree during a dogsled ride northwest of Montreal, provincial police said Tuesday.

Police don't think criminal negligence was a factor, coroner to investigate

A police car is parked on the side of the road.
Police said they were called to a property just before noon on Monday in St-Michel-des-Saints, Que., about 130 kilometres from Montreal in the Lanaudière region. (Francis Ferland/CBC)

A coroner will investigate the death of a 13-year-old French tourist who struck a tree during a dogsled ride northwest of Montreal, provincial police said Tuesday.

Police said they were called to a property just before noon on Monday in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Que., about 130 kilometres from Montreal in the Lanaudière region.

Sûreté du Québec Sgt. Frédéric Deshaies said the preliminary investigation indicates the teen was on a dogsled ride and hit a tree after the driver lost control.

Police said the boy was a French national who was in Quebec on vacation with his family.

He was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries.   

A police spokesperson said Tuesday investigators don't think criminal negligence was a factor in the boy's death, adding that police will assist in the coroner's investigation.