MONCTON, N.B. - Police in New Brunswick say they're considering charges against a 28-year-old student after the car he was driving crashed, resulting in the deaths of three young men in the back seat.
The RCMP has said speed may have been a factor in the incident Sunday evening on a curving portion of the Trans-Canada Highway near Moncton.
Two 24-year-old men and a 29-year-old man were ejected from the Subaru Outback when it went out of control and rolled over onto the median strip.
Two of the men died at the scene and the third died later in hospital.
A 25-year-old man in the passenger seat wasn't injured, while the driver — whose name wasn't released by police — was taken to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
RCMP Sgt. Pat Tardif said in an interview that the Subaru was owned by the driver, and that all of the vehicle's occupants were foreign students at the Saint John campus of the New Brunswick Community College.
He said the friends were on their way to a weekend outing in Shediac, N.B., at the time of the crash at about 5:45 p.m.
Tardif declined to provide the nationalities of the driver or the others in the vehicle.
However, he said the passport of the 28-year-old man is being held, he has posted a surety and he is required to report regularly to police and is currently scheduled to return to court on Dec. 13.
"The investigation is ongoing," said Tardif. "It's at the initial stage and we have to complete the investigation to determine whether there is enough grounds to lay criminal charges."
He said potential charges under the Criminal Code would require the Crown to prove the car was being driven in a way that is dangerous to the public. Police can also lay summary charges under the Motor Vehicle Act.
Tardif said the next of kin of the students who died have been informed of the deaths.
The RCMP is looking for any further information from the public about the vehicle and the way it was being driven prior to the crash.