Speed a factor in Fredericton crash that claimed 3 lives, including 2 minors, says police chief

Fredericton police say two of the three people killed in a Fredericton crash on Sunday morning were teenagers. 

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Chief Martin Gaudet said a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year old boy were killed, along with a 22-year-old man. 

In addition, a 15-year-old boy was critically injured and airlifted to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax and a 14-year-old girl was treated for minor injuries, he said.

Names are not being released at this time. 

Gaudet said part of the criminal investigation will involve figuring out who was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.

"It's not been an easy task to to figure out who the driver was," said Gaudet.

"This is a tragedy. … It's a parent's worst nightmare, and it's a difficult call for our first responders to attend," he said.

"For those of us who've been doing this job for a while, when you go to those calls, you can't unsee it."

'High rate of speed'

The crash occurred at around 1 a.m. on Sunday in the 700 block of Douglas Avenue, a residential neighbourhood on the city's north side.

An officer patrolling the area at the time saw a vehicle was coming toward him at a high rate of speed, Gaudet said.

"He did his job by turning his lights on and trying to stop the vehicle."

By time the officer turned his car around, "he had already lost sight of the vehicle and moments later, several minutes later, we received 911 calls of an accident."

"He realized it was that same vehicle," when he arrived at the scene, the chief said.

Vehicle became airborne, police say

Police believe the vehicle hit a curb before becoming airborne and hitting another parked vehicle, which had four adults in it at the time, none of whom were seriously injured. They had just got into their vehicle at a residence and were about to leave when the crash occurred.

The speed at which the car was going is part of the investigation and is not being released at this time, said Gaudet. 

Gaudet said there have been many complaints of speeding in the city, but in particular, that area where the crash happened. He said the officer who attempted to pull over the vehicle was patrolling that area because of past complaints.