A delay of three weeks has been granted for the expected court appearance of Vanessa Ricketson, aged 27, who is accused in connection with a fatal accident near Fredericton. The incident involved the death of a 19-year-old man from Norton, who had stopped on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway near Oromocto to change a tire.
Ricketson, who was supposed to choose a trial mode in Fredericton provincial court, was not present during the scheduled session. Represented by defense lawyer Shane Hill on behalf of Emily Cochrane, Ricketson’s court appearance was postponed to September 1 for the disclosure of evidence as requested by Hill and approved by Judge Lyne Raymond.
Authorities have not disclosed the victim’s identity but confirmed that he had taken necessary precautions, such as pulling sufficiently off the highway, wearing a reflective vest, and activating the vehicle’s four-way flashers. The RCMP did not provide any information regarding whether Ricketson was the individual of interest identified by the police two days after the March 19 accident. Ricketson was charged almost four months after the incident, and as of Tuesday, the police have confirmed that she is not in their custody.