Police said the driver of the motorcycle applied the brakes but could not stop in time.Police said the driver of the motorcycle applied the brakes but could not stop in time. Ryan Hicks/CBC

The family of Stacy Cheverie is grieving her loss following a fatal accident in Peakes Saturday afternoon.

Police arrested 72-year-old Raymond Alfred Cantelo of Peakes at his home a short time after the accident. They said he failed a breathalyzer test. He is charged with impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing injury and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

The 38-year-old mother was riding on the back of a motorcycle and was killed when the bike was hit by a white van that failed to stop at an intersection, say RCMP. Her husband, who was driving the motorcycle, remains in a serious condition in a Halifax hospital.

Police said the van driver stopped, looked at the injured couple, then drove away.

Gary Bradley of St. Teresa is one of those grieving the loss.

"It's upsetting and [I'm] pretty sorry for anyone involved. It's tragic that it happened anywhere, that it happened here," said Bradley.

"It's upsetting that it happened the way it did."

Cantelo is well-known in his community, and ran for the Island Party in District 2 during the recent provincial election.

RCMP are continuing their investigation.