RCMP seek witnesses to van in crash that killed N.S. Mountie

A man arrested after the crash that killed a Nova Scotia Mountie in eastern New Brunswick on Tuesday has beenreleased without charges, but RCMP are asking anyone who saw the van he was allegedly driving to come forward.

Const. Francis(Frank)Deschnes was in his marked police car when he pulled over on the Trans-Canada Highway near Memramcookto help changea flat tire on an SUV shortly after 6 p.m. AT.

Deschnes,35, anative ofSte-Anne-de-Madawaskain northern New Brunswick,died at the scene.

• Mountie killed helping motorists near Memramcook had history of going 'the extra mile'
• Nova Scotia Mountie killed after stopping to provide roadside help

The preliminary investigation, based on interviews with several witnesses,indicates a utility van collided with his police car and the SUVin the eastbound lanes at the 480-kilometre mark, RCMPhave said.

Investigatorswould now like to speak to any motorists who witnessed a dark blue Dodge TK2008 cargo van with Pennsylvania licence plate ZBN 8883travelling east on Highway2,between Moncton and Memramcook between5:45p.m. and6:15p.m., spokesperson Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh said in a statement on Thursday.

No charges yet

The man allegedly driving the cargo van, who was treated in hospital and then taken into custody, has since been released on conditions imposed by the Monctonprovincial court, said Rogers-Marsh.

"At this point no charges have been laid."

RCMP are not saying whether alcohol, excessive speed ordistracted driving are suspected, factors that police sometimes cite before an investigation is concluded.

They have not said where the man is from.

The two people from the SUV were taken to the hospital and later released.

Anyone with any information about the collision isasked to contact the Sackvilledetachment at506-364-5023.

Colleagues mourning loss

Deschnes'sco-workers at the Amherst, N.S., detachmentare in mourning and feeling too shaken to speak, retired RCMP member Mike Johnson told CBC News.

"For the past two and a half days there's been a lot of tears shed in that office, a lot of men hugging each other a lot of pain,"said Johnson, his voice breaking with emotion.

'He is the poster child of theRCMPfor those people who might not know what it is to be anRCMPmember.'- Mike Johnson, retired RCMP member

"But we're going to get through it. We're going to work and carry on the spirit of what Frank was doing."

Deschnes'scolleagues and friends say as tragic as his death is, it's fitting the 12-year veteran of the forcedied as he lived helping others.

"Dedicated, genuine individual. Caring, compassionatethat's who Frank was," said Johnson, who knew him both professionally and personally.

"One of the members put itI thinkthe perfect wayhe isthe poster child of the RCMP for those people who might not know what it is to be an RCMPmember," he said.

"He loved the work that he did believed completely in what he was doing. Very professional.

"And he hada profound sense of right and wrong within the job, which is sometimes difficultBut Frank found it very easy to determine what was the right and what was the wrong way to go. But he always tempered that with a degree of compassion."

Deschnes"loved his family, loved his dog, loved motorcycling and loved his wife tremendously," said Johnson. "Recently married, only four months, very very tragic, but he was a kind and gentle man."

'He just wanted to help people'

"He just wanted to help people, that was his purpose," said friend and fellow motorcyclist Randy Thurber. "He was just that type of guy."

Thurber metDeschnesthrough thelocal motorcycle club, the Defenders, which does charitable work for the War Amps' child amputee program (CHAMP).

He said he wasn't surprised "at all" that Deschneswas helping somebody outwhen he was killed.

But Thurber, who just went on a marathon 22-hour motorcycle ride withDeschnesfromSackvilleto North Carolina in July,said he had difficulty processing the news his friend was dead.

"I was out for a walk, and I came in and I thought [my wife]said, 'Frank.' I said, 'What?' She said, 'Frank passed away,'and I said, 'Not our Frank, no.' And she said, 'Yeah,'" herecounted, fighting back tears.

"We miss him."

'Great, great loss'

Deschnes "was always smiling" and "never got angry," said Thurber,who spent Thursday looking through photographs of theirtriptogether. One in particular "really captures the essence of Frank," he said.

It's ofDeschnesriding hisBMW bike on the "crazytwisties" of theTail of the Dragon at Deals Gap,a mountain pass at the North CarolinaTennessee state line.

"He was concentrating, he was in a deep turn and basically doing what he loved."

Deschneswas equally passionate about his job, said Thurber, noting he always wore ear plugs when he rode his bike because he had to pass regular hearing tests for work.

"He said, 'Well I love being on the highway part of it so much I coulldn't stand not to do that the job I'm doing now, so I protect my hearing.'"

"Even having fun he was still thinking about the job."

"He was a fantastic guy. It's a great, great loss. You know, you don't get many people like that."

Rogers-Marsh said flags on allRCMPbuildings and establishments across the country will be flown at half-mast until sunset on the day ofDeschnes'sfuneral, the details of which have not yet been released.

Members of the public can also pay their respects to Deschnesby signing books of condolence that have been set up at several locations across the province, she said.

The books will be available at these locations during normal business hours up to and including the day of the funeral:

• RCMP New Brunswick headquarters,1445Regent St., Fredericton.
• Codiac Regional RCMP,520Main St., Moncton.
• Bathurstdetachment,900Vanier Blvd., Bathurst.
• Oromoctodetachment,4Doyle Dr., Oromocto.
• Sackvilledetachment,31Main St., Sackville.

The books will then be presented to Deschnes's family, said Rogers-Marsh.

People can also emailtheir messages of condolence to RCMP.Condolences-Condoleances.GRC@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

Many people have posted tributes toDeschnes on social media, including Prime Minister Jutin Trudeau and New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant.