OAKVILLE'S BEST REAL ESTATE SECTION INSIDE! 321 Cornwall Rd. 321 Cornwall Rd. 321 CornwallRd. Old O k ill M k Olde Oakville Market Olde OakvilleMarket 905.815.8777 905.815.8777 www.oakvillebeaver.com PAUL FOLEY AMP MORTGAGE AGENT Purchases 5 YEAR 4.24% Renewals FIXED Refinances 5 YEAR 3.30% Rental Properties Credit Lines 40+ Lenders HO: 100-480 University Ave. Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 *OAC, E&OE M08005472 905-827-8009 VARIABLE RATE Beaver THE OAKVILLE "Using Communication To Build Better Communities" Oakville bands need your vote ARTSCENE A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 52 No. 30 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2009 · 52 Pages $1.00 (plus GST) Saluting the fallen Trial opens with Crown witnesses Youth faces manslaughter By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The defendant was angry because the deceased had teased him. This was the story Assistant Crown Attorney John Dibski told members of the jury during his opening statements on Monday, beginning the first day of trial for an Oakville teen charged with manslaughter. Under Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act, there is a sweeping publication ban on the trial, which prohibits The Oakville Beaver from revealing identifying information. The charge stems from an incident, which took place at an Oakville house party on March 29, 2008. The accused Oakville teen, who cannot be named under Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act because he was 15 at the time of the incident, is accused of instigating a fight with Drew Hildebrand, 16, in which Hildebrand was allegedly knocked to the ground where he struck his head. Hildebrand went home after the incident, but became ill during the night. He was admitted to hospital the next day, but lapsed into a coma and died April 8. The cause of death was found to be brain injury due to blunt force trauma. The defendant has pleaded not guilty. "The charge is manslaughter, not murder. For the charge to be murder there needs to be intent to kill," Dibski told the jury. "The Crown will not be trying to prove that there was intent. The Crown will prove (the defendant) committed bodily harm on Drew Hildebrand causing his death." Dibski explained the Crown's case would cover points before, during and after the incident took place. He noted Hildebrand and the defendant had actually walked to the party with two others and, while they were not friends, there was no bad blood between them. RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER HONOURING A SOLDIER: Oakville firefighters and members of the public lined bridges over the QEW in town yesterday morning to salute Warrant Officer Dennis Brown, who was killed last week while serving in Afghanistan. Brown was making a final journey home to St. Catharines. Here, Lynn Petrushavich and her children Elise and Maeve are pictured with Oakville firefighter Andrew Lee and his son, Benjamin, behind them. For the story, see page 7. Oakville man killed in crash Sunday Funeral services will be held Friday for a Trent University student killed in a car crash in Peterborough Sunday. Mathew Russell Ferguson, 24, was killed when the car he was driving struck a tree in front of the Peterborough Golf and Country Club. Ferguson was from Oakville, but was going to school in Peterborough. Peterborough police, who responded to a call about the crash at 8 a.m., said the car left the road and struck a tree. Ferguson was the only occupant of the vehicle and police closed Armour Road until 4 p.m. Sunday while doing a reconstruction investigation. Sgt. Walter DiClemente said police are trying to find out when the crash occurred. Sgt. John Ogrodnik said when the police arrived, the roads were wet. Ferguson is the son of Janice Armstrong and Douglas Ferguson. Visitation will be held at the Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Rd. W. from 6-9 p.m. tomorrow. A funeral service celebrating Ferguson's life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 13 in the Kopriva Chapel. A reception will follow at the Oakville Golf Club, 1154 Sixth Line. In lieu of flowers, donations are being directed to the World Wildlife Fund. Online condolences can be made at www.koprivataylor.com. See Crown page 4 SERVING OAKVILLE FOR 25 YEARS! 175 Wyecroft Rd. Oakville 905.845.6653 Between Kerr & Dorval Optimize Performance (Adults and Children) · Attention span is short · Difficulty organizing & completing work · also helpful for Asperger's · also Psycho-educational testing ADD Centre VISIT OUR ALL NEW WEBSITE YOUR FRIEND IN THE BUSINESS! Neurofeedback and learning strategies can provide a lasting improvement. Co-author with Pediatrician William Sears of The A.D.D. Book: New Understandings, New Approaches to Parenting Your Child. www.lockwoodchrysler.com Director: Lynda M. Thompson, Ph.D., 905-803-8066 www.addcentre.com