One of two 18-year-olds facing charges after a fatal motor vehicle accident claimed the life of David Alexander Julien will remain behind bars until at least tomorrow.
Matthew Lesley Grimm and Thomas Glen Dixon, both of Cole Harbour, were charged yesterday in relation to the crash on Cranberry Crescent in Dartmouth around 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Grimm, who Halifax Regional Police say was behind the wheel of the white Honda Accord that sped out of control and slammed into a power pole, is charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, two counts of breach of an undertaking and one count of breach of probation.
The breach of probation charge stems from a sentence in December for theft under $5,000. The maximum sentence for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death is 14 years in prison.
In Dartmouth provincial court yesterday, Grimm was remanded to the Burnside jail with another court appearance set for Thursday, where it should be determined whether he receives bail or not.
His arraignment hearing was held over yesterday.
Dixon is facing one charge of breach of an undertaking. He was released on bail with conditions and is due back in court on June 18.
The two made brief appearances in court separately. Neither said anything, but Grimm could be seen trying to communicate non-verbally several times with people sitting in the courtroom gallery.
Witnesses say after the crash, the driver and other passenger took off running from the vehicle while the victim, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, was unconscious in the back seat.
Julien, a Dartmouth resident and Grade 10 student at Prince Andrew High School, was assisted by several nearby residents at the crash site, and later by paramedics, but died at the scene. Grimm and Dixon turned themselves into police just before noon on Monday.
“They did the right thing by turning themselves in,” police spokeswoman Theresa Rath said yesterday.
“That helped us in our investigation.”
Rath said speed and alcohol were factors in the crash, but based on the investigation, there’s not enough evidence to proceed with a charge of impaired driving.
She also said no charges were laid for leaving the scene of an accident because it’s alleged the two people left on foot and, under the Criminal Code of Canada, a vehicle must have left the accident scene for the charge to be laid.
Further charges
Police are still investigating the fatal crash and further charges are possible, mostly under the Motor Vehicle Act.
