Suspect in fatal Manitoba crash appears in court

WINNIPEG An Alberta man has made his first court appearance following his arrest in a collision last week that killed a Winnipegarea teenager.

Justin Joseph Little, who is 29, appeared Tuesday via closed-circuit television from the Winnipeg Remand Centre on 14 charges that were laid after last Friday’s crash that killed Ben Harris.

The 15-year-old was riding his bike with another teenage boy in the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews, just north of the city, when they were hit by a pickup truck that had allegedly been stolen.

The boys ended up in the ditch, but the second teen suffered nonlife-threatening injuries.

Little, who is from Calgary, is accused of being high on drugs at the time of the collision and fleeing the scene on foot.

He remains in custody prior to his next scheduled court date in Selkirk on Aug. 31.

During Tuesday’s appearance, provincial court Judge John Guy revoked a previous bail order that had allowed Little to be released from custody in Winnipeg on July 30, just 12 days before the crash.

He had been released on a $1,500 recognizance with the Crown’s consent, and was instructed to follow court conditions that included a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.

He was ordered not to be in any motor vehicle without first getting permission from its owner and not to possess break-in tools.

Little had been arrested in connection with a vehicle theft in Winnipeg last month.

He was accused of committing break-ins between mid-June and mid-July, and was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, breaking and entering, two counts of housebreaking with intent, two counts of mischief and failing to comply with a court order.

Little has a criminal record in Alberta that includes convictions for theft, possession of property obtained by crime, drug possession, assault and breaches of court orders.

John Harris, Ben’s father, previously told the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper that he questioned why Little was released from custody after being charged with several criminal offences earlier this summer.

Little is not expected to appear in court in person on Aug. 31 and he has not yet applied for bail.