Photographer witnesses crash on Route 344

It was 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 17 when local photographer Phillip Thompson was driving on Route 344 about one kilometre east of Grenville.

Thompson, who also photographs as a freelancer for The Review, was directly behind a black Honda Civic traveling eastbound when a black Jeep swerved into it from the oncoming lane and "collided with severe impact."

"I was the only one that had time to break and swerve, it happened very fast," Thompson explained, adding he was fairly shaken up by the event.

Exiting his vehicle, Thompson and several passersby were able to secure the three injured individuals.

"The driver of the Civic had visible injuries and his female passenger was badly shaken up," he said. "I called 911 while getting the elderly man out from the Jeep. He was unaware what had just happened and thought he may have fallen asleep."

According to Sûreté du Quebec spokesman Gilles Mitchell, both drivers were removed from the scene by ambulance and taken to hospital in Saint-Jerome. They were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The accident led to the temporary closure of Route 344. The SQ confirmed it is investigating the possibility of the Jeep's driver falling asleep at the wheel of his vehicle.

Thompson said there is a "big bend and hill" at the point of Route 344 where the accident occurred but noted the weather on Saturday was clear and sunny. Many accidents have occurred on this section of the road, he added.

- With files from Tara Kirkpatrick