A woman accused of leaving the scene of a deadly accident near Fredericton will have her court appearance delayed by three weeks. Vanessa Ricketson, 27, faces charges related to the death of a 19-year-old man from Norton. She was supposed to choose a trial method in Fredericton provincial court on Tuesday.
Allegations suggest that she drove away after hitting the man, who had stopped on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway near Oromocto to change a tire. Defense attorney Shane Hill, standing in for Emily Cochrane, informed the court that Ricketson was not present for the hearing. As a result, the judge, Lyne Raymond, agreed to postpone the proceedings to September 1 for evidence disclosure.
While the victim remains unnamed by the police, they previously mentioned that he took necessary precautions by pulling off the highway, wearing a reflective vest, and activating the vehicle’s hazard lights. The authorities did not confirm whether Ricketson was the individual of interest identified two days after the incident on March 19. Almost four months later, she was formally charged, but the police clarified that she is not in custody at this time.
