Teen in Saskatoon fatal crash had troubled past

The teenage passenger of a stolen vehicle showed a pattern of lawbreakingin the months leading up to a fatal crash in May.

The girl, who is now 18,pleaded guilty Wednesday to five counts connected to the horrific crash earlier this year on 22nd Street. She cannot be named because of her age at thetime of the crash.

The court heard that the teen encouraged the driver of the vehicle not to stop when police pursued.

Resisting arrest and joyriding

The teen also pleaded guilty to other driving-related charges.

She admitted to resisting arrest on March 14; joyriding in a stolen Ford Tempo on April 17; breaking her curfew and hanging out with people she was supposed to avoid on that same date; and again breaching her curfew between April 23 and 27.

These charges set the stage for her fatal evening with Cheyann Peeteetuce.

Peeteetucewas drivinga stolen truck when the crash happened in the early evening of May 5 at22ndStreet West and Avenue M.

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. Eighteen seconds later, the truck smashed into the side of a Malibu travelling eastbound on22ndStreet towards the downtown.

The car was carrying three students from Bethlehem High School who were on the their way to track practice. J.P.Haughey, 17, and his front seat passenger, SarahWensley, 17, were killed. A 16-year-old girl in the backseat suffered serious injuries but survived.

The families ofHaugheyandWensleywere in court Wednesday.

Haughey'sfamily wasseparated from the teenbya pane of glass in the prisoner's box, and they sobbed quietly as soon as she was led into the courtroom.

Judge AlbertLavoieordered an intensivepre-sentencereportwith an emphasis on canvassing the personal circumstances of the teen, programming opportunities and so-calledGladuefactors that would speak to her background and upbringing.

She's back incourt January 8.