ManitobaManitoba’s Official Opposition is pushing for what it calls necessary changes to the bail system, after it says the man accused in a deadly crash earlier this year near Portage la Prairie left the treatment centre he was released to without permission.’Political football’ of proposed bail overhaul could have serious consequences, defence lawyer cautionsCBC News · Posted: Sep 09, 2025 7:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoKellie Verwey’s parents spoke at a news conference alongside Progressive Conservative MLAs to discuss bail reform on Tuesday. Verwey was killed in a crash earlier this year. RCMP said they had a warrant for the man facing charges related to her death at the time of the crash for two counts of failing to comply with a release order. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)Manitoba’s Official Opposition is pushing for what it calls necessary changes to the bail system, after it says the man accused in a deadly crash earlier this year near Portage la Prairie left the treatment centre he was released to without permission.James Lorne Hilton, 25, was arrested in January after a crash that killed 28-year-old Kellie Verwey. Hilton was charged with offences including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, operation while impaired and failure to stop after an accident.RCMP previously said that at the time of the crash, they had an arrest warrant for Hilton on two counts of failing to comply with a release order. Jeff Bereza, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Portage la Prairie, said at a news conference alongside Verwey’s parents Tuesday that Hilton was released to a private in-patient treatment centre in Winnipeg last Friday, and “within hours, he was gone.””This was no first-time offender,” Bereza said. “He has thumbed his nose at justice.”Kellie Verwey was killed in a three-vehicle collision east of Portage la Prairie on Jan. 16. (Sharilyn Knox/Facebook)RCMP said Tuesday they’d issued a warrant for Hilton’s arrest for breaching conditions of his release order, saying he had last been seen in the St. Norbert area of Winnipeg. Later Tuesday, Mounties said Hilton had been arrested without incident and was in custody in Winnipeg.Court records show Hilton has previously been convicted of one count each of breaking and entering, possessing instruments to break and enter and possessing drugs, as well as two counts of failing to comply with a curfew. His lawyer, Brett Gladstone, previously told court at a sentencing hearing for Hilton in June that his client had a history of struggles with addictions.Court recordings reviewed by CBC News indicate Hilton was granted bail on his current charges in July. Under conditions of his bail, he could only be released to a representative from the treatment centre, and he was required to immediately surrender himself to police if he left the centre.None of the charges against him related to the crash that killed Verwey have been proven in court.Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan said Hilton’s departure from the centre was an “outrage,” calling the accused “a poster child for the urgent need for bail reform in Manitoba.” Verwey’s parents echoed the politicians’ calls for action.”This justice system needs change,” said Verwey’s mother, Meechelle Best.Bereza and Khan called for the provincial government to take action on changes to how bail works in Manitoba, after the province’s legislature unanimously passed a motion to demand bail reform earlier this year. The Opposition MLAs said Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP government has been pointing the finger at the federal government on the issue.NDP Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said he met with Verwey’s family Tuesday and heard their concerns. He also said the province’s response to date on bail reform has included the use of ankle monitors for some accused people on bail, as part of its five-point plan on community safety.”We’re going to take action every step of the way that we can in the province of Manitoba,” Wiebe said.”That being said, it’s also the responsibility of the federal government to recognize that they’ve got to make changes. Because otherwise these cases are going to continue to happen.”‘This is not a game,’ lawyer saysBut one defence lawyer cautioned against being too quick to call for large-scale changes to the bail system, without considering the potential implications.”This is not a game. It’s real,” said Chris Gamby, the communications director of the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba.”So I think it’s important for the parties that are using this like a political football to understand that there are real consequences if we are going to be making changes — and they best be made eyes open with a clear plan, and the funding in place to do whatever it is we need to do.”He said it’s also important to keep in mind that Hilton is considered innocent of the charges against him, and that there are likely details about the case that aren’t publicly known right now — like why he left the treatment centre, and what a judge considered before releasing him on bail.”This is not Minority Report,” he said, referring to the 2002 science-fiction movie about police aided by precognition.”We don’t have a way to accurately predict exactly what someone will do in the future. Barring a time when we can do that, this is what we have, which is professionals doing the best that they can to make risk assessments about people,” said Gamby.”That is not a perfect system, but it is one that has to be flexible to deal with a variety of different cases and a variety of different circumstances as they come up. So that’s really what the issue is.… Some wholesale rule that we just deny everybody bail would be completely unworkable for our society.”Family of woman killed in crash renews calls for bail reformThe family of Kellie Verwey, a woman killed in a crash near Portage la Prairie earlier this year, is questioning Manitoba’s justice system after the man accused of killing her breached bail conditions, leaving the facility he was ordered to stay in, according to police. He was taken back into custody after RCMP issued a warrant for his arrest on Tuesday.With files from Felisha Adam
Manitoba PCs call for bail changes after accused in fatal crash leaves treatment centre
