EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – The Saint John man charged in connection with the hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a Portland, Maine, nurse pleaded not guilty Wednesday in provincial court.

Neither Adam Fraser, 28, nor his defense attorney, David Lutz of Saint John, were in the Edmundston Provincial Court room. Edmundston attorney Zoel Dionne, acting as Lutz’s representative, entered the plea.

Dionne also informed Provincial Court Judge George Perusse that Fraser had elected a nonjury trial. Perusse set a trial date of Feb. 2, 2004.

“This is the simplest form of trial,” Dionne said after the 10-minute plea hearing. The hearing had been continued from July 17.

Fraser was charged on July 3, 11 months to the day after the hit-and-run accident that killed Madawaska, Maine, native Connie Bellefleur, a pediatric nurse living in Portland at the time of her death.

Fraser’s wife, whom officials have refused to identify, has not been charged in connection with the accident, but her involvement remains under investigation, Officer Linda Roy of the Edmundston police force, said Wednesday afternoon.

Bellefleur was struck and killed at about 2 a.m. Aug. 3, 2002, as she crossed St. Francis Street, near the Hill Street intersection in Edmundston. Accompanied by her sister and friends, she was walking back to Madawaska, located across the St. John River, after spending an evening at Edmundston’s annual Foire Brayonne Festival.

Edmundston police identified the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire involved in the killing within 18 hours of the accident and traced it to Adam Fraser. When police arrived at the Saint John residence on Aug. 4, 2002, to talk with the owners of the vehicle, the couple had contacted a lawyer and refused to talk about the incident.

Fraser and his wife have been suspects in the case ever since. They were married three days after the hit-and-run incident. Under Canadian law, even though they were married after the incident, they cannot be forced to testify against each other.

The week before Fraser was charged, Edmundston city police announced the funding of a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in Bellefleur’s death.

On Wednesday afternoon Robert Bellefleur, Connie Bellefleur’s father and a Madawaska lawyer, said it was his understanding the reward would not be given out until after the trial – if at all. He had no comment beyond that.

At his initial court appearance July 3, Fraser was released on $3,000 cash bail, with conditions that he remain on good behavior, stay within the boundaries of New Brunswick, and not use drugs or alcohol. He must report to Saint John police once a week and can’t drive a motor vehicle.

The official charge against Fraser is long and complicated, but essentially, he is charged with being in control of a vehicle involved in an accident that caused harm and death to Bellefleur.

He also is charged with leaving the scene without giving his name and address, and without offering assistance.