St. Thomas University professor dies after car collides with moose

Brian Carty died after his vehicle collided with a moose on the TransCanada Highway over the weekend. (St. Thomas University)

Students and staff at St. Thomas University in Fredericton are mourning the loss of one of their professors, who died after his vehicle collided with a moose.

The RCMP responded to the crash on Highway 2 near Memramcook, N.B. just before 9 p.m. Saturday.

Police say the 54-year-old driver and his 56-year-old female passenger were taken to hospital.

Brian Carty died from his injuries on Tuesday.

Dawn Russell, the university’s president and vice-chancellor, said in a memo to students and staff that Carty had an “infectious, positive personality and always brightened the day of those he came into contact with.”

“Brian was a much respected and admired professor who was held in high regard by students and faculty in the School of Social Work and indeed by the whole university community,” Russell said in the memo.

Russell said Carty earned a Bachelor of Social Work at STU before completing his masters in the same field at Carleton University.

Russell said, before joining the School of Social Work, Carty had significant professional counselling experience in employment and career exploration for youth and adults.

“He specialized in cross-cultural work, crisis counselling, and work with non-profit agencies, and his research interests were in social action and the non-profit sector,” the memo reads.

The university is offering individual counselling and support services for both students and staff this week.

Police say the investigation into the crash is ongoing, but speed and alcohol have been ruled out as factors.