Windsor man sentenced to house arrest in fatal hit-and-run of 7-year-old boy
A Windsor man who hit a child with his vehicle, left the scene, and attempted to cover up his involvement in the incident was sentenced to a 12 month conditional sentence of house arrest in Provincial Court Tuesday morning.
According to an agreed upon statement of facts, Christopher Filiault was driving his vehicle on Nov. 15, 2020 when he struck Kuothhorko (Kuzi) James, a 7-year-old Windsor boy, around 8:45 p.m. James was transported to hospital but died of his injuries.
Filiault left the scene at Jefferson Boulevard at Haig Avenue without stopping to assist and later attempted to have repairs done to his vehicle to hide his involvement in the incident.
Filiault previously pleaded guilty to failing to remain and obstruction of justice earlier in 2022. Twenty-one months after the incident took place, Filiault was sentenced Tuesday by Justice Sharon Murphy, who in her decision said the 12 month conditional sentence sends the appropriate message to the community that this behaviour is not tolerated.
“I am not sentencing him for causing Kuzi’s death, but rather failing to stop and actively avoiding responsibility,” said Justice Murphy in her sentencing reasons.
Justice Murphy said Filiault’s remorse for the incident, his empathy and verbal apology to the family, guilty plea and medical condition are mitigating factors in her decision.
Filiault will be fitted for a GPS monitoring device and will also lose driving privileges for a period of three years.
Justice Murphy also indicated that should Filiault breach any conditions laid out in court, “he stands a good likelihood of serving the remaining balance in custodial facility.”
Kuothhorko James’ parents, family and friends were in court today for the sentencing decision, some actively scoffing at the decision, saying “That’s what the life of a child is worth? Disgusting” as they walked out of the courtroom.
James Riek, Kuothhorko’s father, declined to comment after court adjourned, saying only that “no justice was served… he killed our son and got away with it.”
A vigil is held at the scene where a child was the victim in a fatal hit-and-run crash at Jefferson Boulevard and Haig Avenue in Windsor. Friday, November 20, 2020. (Ricardo Veneza/CTV Windsor).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.