Family, friends and coworkers are remembering a Longueuil firefighter who was killed in a freak accident Saturday night.
Patrice Deshaies had been a firefighter for the past 27 years. He was riding his motorcycle on Highway 55 north when he struck a deer near Drummondville. The 55-year-old was thrown from his bike and landed on the highway. He was then struck by a car, also traveling north, that did not stop.
Provincial police managed to track down the driver of the vehicle, a 58-year-old man, to his home in Verdun. He was arrested and his car was taken by police. After meeting with investigators he was released. It's not yet known if the man will face any charges.
Deshaies' son Raphaël told the Journal de Montreal loved his motorcycle and within the past three years broke the 100,000 kilometer mark on his Harley Davidson.
He said his father was always very careful on his bike and took safety seriously, adding he was the best motorcyclist he knew.