A man accused in the death of Kelowna, B.C., teen Tristan Seeger last fall has been granted bail.
Brandon Kazakoff, 30, was charged with the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, failure to stop at the scene of an accident and assault with a weapon, according to a statement from RCMP in Kelowna, about 270 kilometres east of Vancouver.
On Monday, he was released on bail.
Tristan’s mother Paule Seeger says she is glad the accused is out on bail. She says she doesn’t want him to get credit for time served if he is convicted.
“Our criminal justice system rewards pre-trial time and I don’t want him to have any credit,” Seeger said. “I want him to do every single minute of the sentence he is given.”
The 15-year-old’s death came after he was struck near Houghton Road and Franklyn Road, at the southeast corner of Ben Lee Park, around 4 p.m. PT on Oct. 21, 2023.
The fatal crash came shortly after police were called to respond to a “group of teens” using bear spray on a number of people near Ben Lee Park in Kelowna’s Rutland neighbourhood.
Police said at the time that the collision was related to the bear spray incident, though they did not specify how they may have been linked.
Tristan’s death prompted an outpouring of grief, with many remembering the teenager as tenacious and wise beyond his years at a large, public ceremony.
Seeger says news of the charges on Friday came as a shock, and brought back painful memories.
“The only thing I want is my son back, and nothing anyone can do will do that for me,” she said.
Kazakoff’s next court hearing is scheduled for Thursday.