KINGESCLEAR FIRST NATION, N.B. -- A white cross now sits on the route 102 highway in Kingsclear First Nation as a memorial to 27-year-old Alyssia Paul who was hit by a pick-up truck and killed while trying to cross the road Friday night.
Paul was a mother of three and her death sparked a rally in the community on Saturday, with dozens of people carrying signs urging drivers to slow down through the area.
"Alyssia was a wonderful person and a lot of people loved her and adored her, and something tragic like this to happen is very very unfortunate and needless,” said Kingsclear First Nation Chief Gabriel Atwin.
The section of highway literally splits the community of Kingsclear First Nation, with half of the residents living on one side, and the other half on the other. It has a speed limit of 100 km/h, and no pedestrian crossing despite being located next to a popular convenience store, and Atwin says it’s just not safe for anyone to cross.
"We've been meeting with the provincial government since 2016 and as recent as August of this year we've got a designed pedway, or underground pedway I would say, to avoid such tragic events like this," said Atwin.
New Brunswick’s justice department says Paul was an inmate under custody who had been given an early release. The accident happened just before 10 p.m. and her sentence would have officially ended at midnight.
The Kingsclear crisis team has been mobilized in the aftermath of Paul’s death and the health centre in the community is open 24 hours per day up until the funeral.
Acting director of operations for the Kingsclear administration, Sydney Paul says the tragedy has brought the community together.
“The sense of our community is a family, we’re one big family. During times of crisis we kind of all come together to make sure that we’re all trying to help one another,” said Paul.
Paul’s death is being investigated by RCMP and as with deaths of all persons in custody, Coroner Services will also be investigating.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Laura Lyall
