Family of J.P. Haughey blames justice system for his death

The family of a teenage boy who died when the car he was driving was hit by a stolen truck in Saskatoon is blaming the justice system for his death.

J.P. Haughey, 17, and a classmate were killed when the truck rammed into their car in May.The driver of the stolen vehicle,Cheyann Peeteetuce,was on probation for two previous vehicle thefts.

"The day they killed him, they killed us too," J.P.'s motherMarilou said. "I am lost.I am empty.I don't have life right now because they took him away.That could have been avoided from the very beginning."

J.P.'s father, Alex, said James as his parentscall him would still be here if the woman hadn't been let out of custody.

"James and Sarah should be still here," he said. "They've destroyed their lives. This should not have happened. Had the justice system had done their job in the beginning and caught this instead of letting them out on the street had them rehabilitated this wouldn't have happened."

1 stolen vehicle, 2 teens dead

J.P. was driving two otherBethlehem High Schoolstudents to track practice onMay 5 when the vehicle was hit. His front seat passenger, Sarah Wensley, 17, was killed. A 16-year-old girl in the backseat suffered serious injuries but survived.

Police said the sequence of events started when an officer spotted a green 1997 Chevy pick-up that had been reported stolen. The owner had left his keys in the truck.

The officer followed that truck for a few blocks and then turned on the emergency lights. Court heard yesterday that the passenger of the stolen vehicle, an 18-year-old woman, who was 17 years old at the time of the crash, encouraged Peeteetuce not to stop when police pursued.

Eighteen seconds later, the truck smashed into the side of a Malibu travelling eastbound on 22nd Street towards the downtown.

Guilty plea

The teenage passenger of the stolen vehicle pleaded guilty Wednesday to five counts connected to the crash.The court heard that the 18-year-old woman, who was 17 years old at the time of the crash, encouraged the driver of the vehicle not to stop when police pursued.She's back incourt January 8.

The driver of the stolen vehicle, Cheyann Peeteetuce,pleaded guilty earlier this monthto two counts of dangerous driving causing death. The 21-year-old will be back in court in March for the start of the sentencing process. She has been in custody since her arrest.