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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Driver charged in deadly incident of 'couch-surfing' in Quebec

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 02/21/2012 1:00 AM

ST-JOSEPH-DE-BEAUCE, Que. -- A youthful weekend stunt gone tragically wrong resulted in three criminal charges Monday against a 21-year-old Quebec man.

Alex Labbé was accused of causing the death of his friend in a so-called couch-surfing accident.

On a snowy night in the Quebec village of St-Benjamin, Labbé was allegedly driving a vehicle that dragged a sofa carrying two of his friends last Saturday. A vehicle travelling in the opposite direction smashed into the rolling sofa, killing one of its passengers, 22-year-old Franßois Hallée.

Labbe had already been charged with hit and run causing death and dangerous driving causing death. On Monday, prosecutors laid a third charge of criminal negligence causing death.

Labbé was accused of fleeing the accident scene. He was arrested later, at his home in St-Georges, in the Beauce region southeast of Quebec City.

His family was at the courthouse but declined to comment.

Labbé was freed on $2,000 bail and his mother was also required to pony up $1,000. He will be forced to respect several bail conditions -- including not drinking alcohol, not driving a car, and handing in his driver's licence.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 21, 2012 A11