A former Botha-area teenager is being remembered fondly after he was suddenly killed in a hit-and-run incident in Red Deer early last Saturday morning.
Paul Gabriel Bertin, 18, was just a couple of blocks away from his new home when he was fatally struck, said his grandmother, Marrian Bertin of Castor.
“He was a very pleasant boy to be with and he made friends easily,” she said.
“He just started a new job with his brothers, who started a fencing business.”
Bertin was struck by a car in the hit-and-run as he was walking on Taylor Drive Bridge early Saturday and was found shortly after 2 a.m., lying in the northbound lanes on the bridge, stated a news release from Red Deer RCMP Corp. John Babbitt.
Later that day, RCMP located the suspect vehicle and arrested a Red Deer man.
Brent Robert Cameron, 24, was charged with failing to stop and render assistance at the scene of a collision and for public mischief, said Sgt. A.R.G. Shepherd.
Cameron was remanded to appear in Red Deer Provincial Court on Tuesday, and the case was set over to this Friday.
“Investigation has revealed that there was a passenger in the suspect vehicle at the time of the collision,” Sgt. Shepherd said.
RCMP urge that passenger to contact the lead investigator, Cpl. Slavica Doktor, at (403) 406-2219 immediately.
Evidence at the scene indicated that the vehicle was damaged in the crash, police stated.
“The suspect vehicle and driver did not remain at the scene of the collision, and evidence at the scene indicated that the vehicle has sustained significant front-end damage,” Sgt. Shepherd said.
Police expected an autopsy to be performed in Calgary on Tuesday.
Bertin recently moved to Red Deer, where he was living with two of his five brothers.
Bertin was raised and homeschooled on the family farm about 50 kilometers south of Botha, said his grandmother.
“He was very smart and he got good grades in school,” Marrian Bertin said.
Described as creative, along with his brothers and one sister, he played guitar and piano and he was a former hockey player.