WINNIPEG – One of two men charged with killing a 22 year-old-man who was beaten and run over has pleaded guilty to his role in the homicide.
Dustin McKay, 22, was killed in January after he was involved in a fight near Isabel Street and Pacific Avenue. He was knocked unconscious and left in the southbound lanes of Isabel where he was then fatally injured by an alleged drunk driver.
READ MORE: Winnipeg police investigating first homicide of 2015
After putting a call out to the public for help, police arrested Billy Joe Couture several days later and charged him with manslaughter in connection to the killing. During Tuesday’s hearing Couture admitted to leaving him in the roadway after punching him several times.
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Court heard the fight started after McKay banged on the van Couture and his girlfriend were riding in as he walked by. McKay was hit by another van as he lay unconscious, sustaining fatal injuries to his chest.
Desmond Evan Spicer, 51, was arrested at the scene. He was charged with driving while ability impaired causing death and driving with more than 80 mg of alcohol in blood cause death.
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“It’s an up and down roller coaster kind of time ever since the loss of Dustin so following two cases, two different court cases, they don’t really know how to feel or how to react to both of them,” McKay’s uncle Derek Letander said.
Even though the van caused the fatal injuries to McKay, Letander says his family blames Couture for his death.
Spicer has a preliminary inquiry set for April, 2016. His lawyer says two people being charged with killing the same man, in separate events, is a “very unusual circumstance” and that his client plans to fight the charges.
Couture is due back in court in November to set a date for sentencing. Prosecutors are expected to ask for five years jail time.
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