FREDERICTON — Police in New Brunswick have released some details about a weekend crash in Fredericton that killed three young people.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Fredericton police Chief Martin Gaudet said the three victims were in a speeding vehicle that passed a marked patrol car travelling in the opposite direction shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday.
Gaudet says the officer activated the patrol car's emergency lights and turned around to pursue the other vehicle, but the officer lost sight of it and ended the chase.
A short time later, Fredericton police were dispatched to a collision scene on Douglas Avenue in the city's north end, where officers determined that one of the vehicles involved was the one police were searching for.
Gaudet says five people were in the vehicle when it hit a curb, became airborne and struck a tree, before landing on a parked car with four men inside, all of whom sustained minor injuries.
The chief confirmed those killed were two males, ages 17 and 22, and one female who was 14 years old.
Two other youths in the car, a 15-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, were both hurt, and the boy was airlifted to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, where he was treated for critical injuries.
Gaudet says the names of the victims will not be released.
"Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of the deceased," he said. "This is a terrible tragedy for all involved: victims, witnesses, families, friends, and first responders and the community as a whole."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2024.
The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version based on information provided by police had the wrong ages for the deceased girl and the injured boy.
