A man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a Burnaby woman found lying next to a vehicle on a highway this month.
Nicole Hasselmann, 34, was found badly injured next to a vehicle that had crashed on Barnet Highway on Nov. 16. She and the driver of the vehicle were taken to hospital, where she later died of her injuries.
The driver survived.
Initially, investigators thought the woman's injuries had been caused by the crash, but they later determined it was foul play. Officers with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team were called in to take over the investigation.
On Friday, police announced they had arrested Jan Poepl, 31. Poepl has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with Hasselmann’s death.
Police have confirmed that Poepl and Hasselmann knew each other but wouldn’t say how.
Hasselmann, who also went by Nicole Porciello, worked as an education assistant at Templeton Secondary School in Vancouver.
Poepl is a resident of the Lower Mainland, but police would not say of what city.
