On the eighth day of Steve Lévesque’s trial, two police officers testified that they intercepted and then released the accused in Saint-Lin – Laurentides in January 2020 a day after the disappearance of victim Maxime Dugas-Lepage, in Sainte-Anne-des – Mountains.
The two patrol boats assigned to MRC De Montcalm told the court they did not know Steve Lévesque was considered someone interested in a murder case.
They explained to the court that they were patrolling an industrial sector of Saint-Lin – Laurentides on January 21, 2020 when they crossed the road in a black vehicle.
Court agents also explained that this Saint-Lin sector would be characterized by higher crime rates.
It seemed to the police that the driver was driving wrong, so they stopped the vehicle.
Witnesses say they identified Steve Lévesque and the driver using their driver’s licenses.
They then conducted a search about them in the Quebec Police Information Center (CRPQ) database, available from their patrol vehicle.
Patrol officers noticed that Mr. Lévesque’s driver’s license had been granted and he could not drive. They also found out that the vehicle was not owned by the driver or by Steve Lévesque. The driver told them it was a friend’s car.
Also according to their testimony, Steve Lévesque would have told police that he was in this area, because he went to a warehouse. He would also have explained to the police that he went into the business of killing a friend to make sure everything was in order and no theft was committed there, because of the district’s reputation.
Court officials also said two passengers in the car told them they were glad to see police patrolling the area.
Since everything seemed to be in order and they had no reason to detain them, the police let the driver and the accused be evicted.
On the other hand, the next day, one of the two officers would have received a call from an investigator who asked him where he had intercepted Steve Lévesque the previous day because the latter was interested in a murder file.
Mr. Lévesque was charged with murder on 2at degree of Maxime Dugas-Lepage to be held in January 2020 in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts.
The Crown has heard about twenty witnesses so far from the thirty who must compose its evidence. The trial will continue on Monday afternoon, at the Rimouski courthouse still.
Legal proceedings should be extended to a total period of approximately five weeks.
Source: Radio-Canada