Brayden Bushby to stand trial on 2nd degree murder for death of Barbara Kentner

A Thunder Bay, Ont., man will stand trial for second degree murder in the death of an Indigenous woman who was hit by a trailer hitch in January 2017.

Brayden Bushby was initially charged with aggravated assault, accused of throwing a metal trailer hitch from a moving vehicle which struck 34-year-old Barbara Kentner.

Kentner died in July and, in November 2017, Bushby's charge was upgraded to second degree murder.

On Monday afternoon, Justice Frank Valente told a packed courtroom in the northwestern Ontario city that the evidence presented over four days of preliminary hearings in September, was enough to send the case to trial. Valente presided over those hearings.

Valente said on Monday that "there is sufficient evidence in this sad, sad case to put Mr. Bushby on trial for second degree murder."

That evidence is protected by a publication ban.

Kentner was walking with her sister in a south-side Thunder Bay residential neighbourhoodduringthe early morning hours ofJan. 29 when the incident occurred.

• Trailer hitch thrown in assault of First Nations woman in Thunder Bay, Ont.

• Brayden Bushby now charged with 2nd degree murder in death of Barbara Kentner in Thunder Bay, Ont.

• First Nations woman dies after being hit by trailer hitch thrown from passing car in Thunder Bay, Ont.

On Jan. 15, the judge was scheduled to issue his ruling but requested more time to arrive at a decision.

• Decision on whether Thunder Bay man stands trial in Barbara Kentner's death set for Jan. 21

Valente told the packed room on Monday that, when ruling on whether to send the matter to trial, he had to be satisfied that a jury, based on the evidence, could potentially arrive at a guilty verdict.

Kentner's aunt, Lisa Kooshet, told CBC News after court adjourned that "it's been a long two years," and that "I think what happened in court today is probably the direction it needs to go."

"[It's been] like a roller coaster," she continued. "It's been hard with the family, you know, all the family trying to keep close together through it all."

"It's been tiring for the family."

Bushby, wearing a black coat, sat in the gallery, looking straight ahead as the judge delivered his decision. He's been out on bail with conditions since November 2017.

Bushby's lawyer, George Joseph, declined comment as he left the courthouse.

A trial date has not yet been set.