Pickup truck seized, owner questioned after fatal hit and run in Saint-Charles
Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon | CBC News | Posted: February 26, 2018 6:31 PM | Last Updated: February 27, 2018
Brady Francis, 22, of Elsipogtog was waiting for a ride home when he was struck and killed Saturday night
Police have seized a pickup truck and spoken to its owner in connection with the investigation into the hit-and-run death of a young man from Elsipogtog First Nation in Saint-Charles over the weekend.
Brady Francis, 22, was waiting on the shoulder of Saint-Charles Sud Road for a drive home when he was struck and killed on Saturday, around 9:30 p.m.
The vehicle involved left before members of the Southeast District RCMP Richibucto detachment arrived at the scene, about 100 kilometres north of Moncton near Richibucto.
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A GMC pickup truck was seized in the Saint-Charles area on Sunday as part of the investigation, RCMP announced Monday.
"We do have reason to believe that vehicle might be involved, but we have yet to confirm it is the vehicle that was involved in the collision on Saturday night," said Sgt. Pat Tardif.
The investigation continues. Officers are working as quickly as possible, he said, adding police understand it's a difficult time for Francis' family and his community.
Asked what led police to the truck, Tardif said it was the work of investigators.
Asked whether someone had come forward to police, Tardif replied: "Nobody turned himself in, but somebody did come into [the Richibucto detachment], basically saying they might have hit something on Saturday night and that's what we're trying to determine right now."
A GMC logo was found at the scene and an RCMP collision reconstructionist was called in.
Crowd dispersed peacefully
About 100 people from Elsipogtog First Nation rallied outside a location in Saint-Charles late Sunday afternoon, confirmed Tardif.
He declined to confirm whether it was at the residence of the pickup truck owner.
"Fortunately someone from the community came by and basically asked people to disperse and at that time people actually dispersed," he said. "It was just a bit of a crowd gathering there, not more than that."
A candlelight vigil for Francis was held at St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church in Elsipogtog on Sunday night to help the community members heal.
School closed as community mourns
The school in Richibucto was closed on Monday as the community continued to mourn the loss of Francis, who is being remembered as a popular, well-liked young man.
RCMP have determined Francis was at a residence in Saint-Charles on Saturday and called for someone to pick him up.
He left the residence and was on Saint-Charles Sud Road waiting for his ride when he was struck.
Francis was found by friends who were driving by. He died shortly after police and paramedics arrived at the scene, Tardif said.
Funeral arrangements will be made in the coming days. Francis is survived by his parents, a brother and three sisters.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Richibucto RCMP detachment at 506-523-4611, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).