A 26-year-old man has been charged with impaired driving causing death following the discovery of a woman’s body in the St. John River over the weekend.
On Sunday, the body of 24-year-old Jennifer Brewer was found after she was ejected from the vehicle she was in Fredericton early Friday morning.
Police say a dark-coloured Mazda hit a rock along St. Anne's Point Drive, rolled, and went off the road around 4 a.m. They believe speed and alcohol played a factor.
Marc-André Doucet appeared in court Monday morning to face the charges. A publication ban prevents details from court to be made public.
Danielle Cole, the president of the local Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapter, was in court Monday to show support for the families.
“With this case, with there being a fatality, I felt it necessary,” said Cole. “I’m a survivor of an impaired driving case myself.”
It's not the first time there has been a fatal crash on St. Anne's Point Drive. In 2009, three people were killed when the vehicle they were in went into the river.
Fredericton Mayor Mike O’Brien wonders if that stretch of road’s design is playing a factor. He is calling for a review.
“The city does maintain it on behalf of the province, but it is a city road,” said O’Brien. “As I said, I’m not a traffic engineer, but the police will file a report.”
Marc-André Doucet will be back in court on June 28 to enter a plea.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore.
