2 victims identified, suspect charged in fatal Montreal New Year's Day hit-and-run

A Namibian man returning home from church and a second man have been identified as the two people killed in an early morning New Year's Day hit-and-run in Montreal.

A Namibian man returning home from church and another man heading to a friend's party have been identified as the victims of a New Year's Day fatal hit-and-run in Montreal.

Court documents identify the two victims as Augustin Wesley Katimba, 30, and Michael Chintakis, 31.

Antoine Dubuc, 23, is facing six charges, including dangerous driving causing death, fleeing the scene of a deadly collision and impaired driving causing death.

Montreal police said the suspect allegedly struck the two pedestrians at high speed before fleeing the scene, first in his vehicle and then on foot. A court appearance for Dubuc on Wednesday was put off, and he is scheduled to return to court on Monday.

Namibia's ambassador to the United States identified Katimba in a Facebook post as a member of the Namibian diaspora, and said he was returning home from church when he was struck in Montreal's Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough shortly after 1 a.m. Monday.

Ambassador Margaret Mensah-Williams, who is also accredited to represent the country in Canada, added that Katimba had celebrated his birthday on Dec. 31 and was minutes from home when he was killed. His death led to an outpouring of grief from friends and family in Namibia.

In Montreal, friends of Chintakis expressed heartbreak at his sudden death. He was heading on foot to a party at his friend Spiros Ilias's home and had just messaged asking for the code to get into his building.