At around 1:45 a.m., two cars were going south on Cure-Labelle when a near-hit at the intersection of Notre-Dame and Labelle sparked a verbal dispute between both drivers. As they continued down Cure-Labelle, the dispute heightened, and at the intersection of Perron and Labelle, both cars stopped. Two men got out from one vehicle and went to the driver seated in the other car and attacked him with a knife and punched him in the head. The two suspects then fled the scene.

However, Laval Police were able to release a composite sketch of the two men and, thanks to a tip from the public, they were arrested. One of the men appeared in court April 23 to face charges of attempted murder.

Man arrested for multiple armed robberies

A 44 year old man suspected of robbing eighteen different pharmacies and depanneurs was arrested April 10 following an armed robbery at 245 Samson boul. in Sainte-Dorothée. The suspect had robbed 13 pharmacies and 5 service stations/depanneurs over the course of several months, all in Laval, except with the exception of two which took place just north of the city. Following a three-month investigation, Laval Police finally apprehended the suspect and brought him into custody. He had been using an imitation 9mm gun to scare victims into giving him money, but Laval Police Const. Franco DiGenova said the firearm didn't look fake. "One of our officers was holding it and standing four feet away and it looked real," he said. It is estimated that the suspect stole a total of about $2000, although the exact number is not clear. "He got away with about $100 to $150 each time," said Const. DiGenova. The suspect is scheduled to appear in court.

Taxi driver robbed at knife-point

At around 3:50 a.m. on April 14, Laval Police received a call from a Taxi service dispatcher that a driver was being robbed near the corner of Ampère and Branley in Laval-des-Rapides . The taxi driver had picked up a passenger at the intersection and was driving down Ampère street when the suspect put a knife to his throat and demanded money. Although it is strongly discouraged, the driver fought back, and the suspect fled the vehicle and ran into a nearby apartment building. When Laval Police arrived on the scene, they surrounded the building as officers went inside to search for the suspect floor by floor. "The taxi driver was able to give us a really good description of the suspect," said Const. Franco DiGenova. The suspect was found trying to escape from a side door and was immediately arrested.

Contraband Tobacco Squad strikes again

The LPD special VITAL unit, aimed at fighting contraband cigarette trafficking, arrested a 68 year old man suspected of selling contraband cigarettes. On April 23, after receiving an anonymous tip, Laval Police executed a search warrant and discovered 93,000 cigarettes in the man's home, along with twenty bags of tobacco containing 450g of tobacco each. "We also found four guns which were not registered and not stored properly," said Const. Franco DiGenova. All tobacco and guns were seized and the man faces $40,000 in fines. "He was mainly selling to lower-income families in the Pont-Viau and Laval-des-Rapides area," said Const. DiGenova. The tip was given to Laval Police from the special hotline set up by the Health Minister to combat the sale of contraband cigarettes. The number is 450-978-TABA (8222).

Man leads Laval Police on hot pursuit

On April 30, at around 8:15 p.m., Laval Police pulled over a Dodge Ram on the service road of the 440, near Autoroute 13. As the 39 year old driver reached over to get his license and registration, he suddenly put his car into drive and sped off. The officer immediately called back-up and followed the driver as he got onto Autoroute 13 towards Montreal, took the Trans-Canada Highway, then turned onto St-John's boulevard in West Island where he lost control of his vehicle. However, that didn't stop the man, as he got out of the car and attempted to flee on foot. He was apprehended by police and arrested. "We found out later that his license was sanctioned," said Const. Franco DiGenova. The man will face charges for disobeying authorities and causing a pursuit. Car accident on Corbusier At around 5 p.m. on April 20, a taxi with a female passenger was going south on Corbusier boul. when he reached Michelin street and turned left. His light was green but a car coming from the opposite direction collided with the taxi and the cars spun out of control and hit three other nearby vehicles. Fortunately, no one was killed, but the female passenger in the taxi was seriously injured. The 45 year old woman was rushed to hospital with a fractured hip and a perforated diaphragm, however, doctors no longer fear for her life. The driver will not face criminal charges.

Man rescued from Rivière des Prairies

A 63 year old man was attempting to get into his canoe on the docks of Île-Paton at around 7:30 p.m. the evening of April 15, when he fell into the water. He was unable to get back into the canoe. For about 30 minutes, the man struggled to stay afloat amidst freezing waters when a witness noticed the man from a nearby apartment building. "He called 9-1-1 and the Laval Fire Department. We were able to get to the scene and rescue him on time," said Const. Franco DiGenova. The man was taken to hospital and treated for hypothermia.