The former common-law wife of the man on trial for allegedly killing a young man in a road-rage incident took the stand Tuesday, and said Brent Parent was at home in his hot tub in the hours after the hit-and-run.

Brent Parent has pleaded not guilty to five charges including criminal negligence and dangerous driving causing death in B.C. Supreme Court. Prosecutors allege that Parent ran down 21-year-old Silas O'Brien with his Ford F350 pickup truck in the early morning hours of March 13, 2008.

Jill Suter, Parent's ex-spouse, told the court that she was woken at 3 or 4 a.m. on the day of the crash by Parent and his brother, who were talking and laughing in the hot tub outside her window. She said they sounded relaxed and happy.

When she got out of bed later in the morning, Suter says she saw a news story about a crash involving a Ford truck with a snowmobile rack -- just like Parent's. She testified that his brother also saw the news, and reacted by putting his hands on his head and repeating, "Oh my God, oh my God."

As for Parent, Suter testified that he turned pale and appeared to be sick, but didn't say anything.

But Suter added that she later inspected Parent's truck and didn't see any apparent damage.

Two men who were with Parent the night before the hit-and-run testified that he had one or two drinks at dinner, but did not appear to be drunk.

O'Brien and his friends Luke Stephen and Sam Dooley were on their way to the Seattle airport to begin a Hawaiian vacation when prosecutors say they encountered Parent's truck on a rural stretch of road in Langley.

The friends say they were trying to pass a truck that was stopped in front of them when it sped up and started driving beside them.

They say their vehicle was forced into a ditch by the Ford, which took off. They got out of the vehicle to inspect for damage, but five minutes later, the truck returned and mowed O'Brien down.

The truck fled the scene, and Parent was arrested later the same day.

Parent's brother is scheduled to take the stand on Wednesday, and the accused man is expected to take the stand in his defence later in the trial.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber