A 52-year-old Fredericton man died when the vehicle he was driving went off the road into a steep ditch in Nashwaak Village, shortly after allegedly rear-ending another vehicle Tuesday afternoon.

The crash happened at about 4:30 p.m., about a kilometre away on Route 8 from the scene of the first collision, RCMP said.

“We believe that the man's vehicle, a 2007 red Jeep Sahara, had first rear-ended another vehicle heading the same direction,” Cpl. Yann Audoux said.

“The man driving the red Sahara did not remain at the scene, and continued driving. His vehicle left the road about a kilometre away, and went into a steep ditch. The man driving this red Sahara died at the scene.”

The two people who were in the Volkswagen Jetta that was hit sustained minor injuries.

Audoux says an autopsy has been done, and the investigation into both incidents is ongoing, with the help of an RCMP collision reconstructionist.

Route 8 was closed to traffic between Killarney Road and Durham Bridge for about three hours.

The name of the victim, the only person in the Jeep, hasn't been released.

Anyone who may have witnessed either crash, or saw the Jeep, is asked to contact RCMP.