Portage La Prairie, Man., Mayor Sharilyn Knox is calling the highway crash that took the life of a 28-year-old woman “devastating and infuriating,” in an open letter pushing for bail reform.
Kellie Verway, who was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Jan. 15, worked as the city’s tourism coordinator, and Knox described her as a pillar of the community.
“Shock, complete shock,” Knox said. “The ripple waves of grief and frustration and anger carry through.”
Twenty-four-year-old James Hilton has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, driving while impaired, and failing to stop at the scene of the accident. RCMP confirmed that at the time of the crash, he was wanted on an arrest warrant issued the week prior.
Court records show Hilton pled guilty to a possession charge last year. Afterward, he was charged with trespassing, possessing break-and-enter instruments and multiple counts of failing to comply with a release order. Knox said this shows a need for firmer action for repeat offenders, which she says should include mandatory treatment.
“Right now the way our system works in Manitoba is people, when they’re charged, they’re to have access to treatment, or access to mental health support,” said Knox. “And access is great, but sometimes people need that little extra when they need to be held accountable.”
Knox’s open letter was addressed to Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, calling for action in response to Kellie’s death. Wiebe says the province is committed to working with Portage La Prairie on expanding measures like the ankle monitoring program.
“We started it here in the city of Winnipeg, we know that almost 50 people now have these ankle monitors out in community. We’ve expanded it outside the city, this is now going province-wide,” said Wiebe. “And communities like Portage la Prairie, we know, have been asking for this.”
But Wiebe and other advocates say change needs to happen at the federal level, atoo. Bobby Baker, director of the Prairie Region at the National Police Federation, says laws need to change to keep repeat offenders behind bars.
“The perpetrator, the suspect will usually be granted bail unless there’s a ‘significant likelihood’ that they’re going to reoffend, and that level is problematic, and we’ve seen that time and again in society,” said Baker.