Two arrested following deadly weekend crash

Two men have been arrested and face several charges, including theft and drunk driving, in connection with a Saturday morning car crash in Winnipeg that killed a 38-year-old mother of three.

Rachelle Leost died when her van was struck by another vanthat failed to stop at a stop sign at the corner of Arlington Street and Cathedral Avenue just before 5 a.m. Saturday morning.

Witnesses said Leost's van flipped and landed ona boulevard. She was thrown fromher vehicle and police said she died instantly.The second van rolled onto its side and burst into flames with two men trapped inside. They were rescued by firefighters.

'You can't bring her back and you have to live with the consequences of what happened and just hope to God that there's justice done.' Louise Leost

The two menin the van, which police said was stolen,are now facing several charges.

The allegeddriver, a 31-year-old man, is in hospital in guarded condition. He faces charges of impaired driving causing death, theft over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime. Further charges were pending, police said Sunday.

Another man, aged 20,is believed to have beena passenger in the vehicle and faces charges of possession of property obtained by crime, breach of probation, and failing to comply with conditions of a youth-related sentence.

Leost had just dropped off two of her three sons at her parents' home and was headed to her job at Costco Wholesale when she was struck by the vehicle.

'Warm and happy person'

Leost's aunt, Louise Leost, says Rachelle's husband, Perry Gaudry, her three sons and her large extended family are devastated by the loss.

"She was a very warm and happy person," Louise Leost told CBC News Monday morning.

Leost owned a sod farm and a horse farm with her husband, and she had played a major role in helping her sons, aged 15, 12, and 10, release a CD of Mtis fiddle music under the name The Gaudry Boys.

"In a time like this, nothing is well, what can you say? What can you do?" said Louise Leost.

"You can't bring her back and you have to live with the consequences of what happened and just hope to God that there's justice done."