'I'll miss him forever': Family identify Ben Harris as teen killed in Lockport hit-and-run
Family of the teenage boy who died in a hit-and-run near Lockport, Man., on Friday say he was on his way home from a sleepover and was nearing the turnoff to his house when he was struck and killed by a driver.
Ben Harris, 15, and a friend were riding their bicycles on the shoulder of Donald Road near Highway 9 in the rural municipality of St. Andrews Friday night when a vehicle swerved off the roadway and hit them, throwing the boys into the ditch.
Ben's friend, a 15-year-old boy, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, but Ben was pronounced dead at the scene.
"It's a nightmare," said Ben's father, John Harris, who was in his bedroom with his wife when they heard police and emergency vehicles, including a helicopter, arrive just outside their home.
He remembers telling his wife he was glad Ben was at a sleepover.
"I looked out the window and I said, 'Oh my God, I've never seen anything like this.' It was like there was a war going on," he told CBC News Sunday evening.
But minutes later police were at the door to tell them their son had been killed.
"I completely lost control," John said.
"I was screaming and hitting things and just trying to keep it together but it was absolutely unbearable.
"He was a perfect little boy and you never expect this."
'Excited about the future'
John said Ben, who was getting ready to go into Grade 11 at Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School in Selkirk in fall, had many friends and the family has been overwhelmed with support from the community since his death.
He said his son's popularity came naturally.
"He never lied about anything … he never complained about anything," said John.
"He was such a good boy, and that's why he had so many friends."
John described Ben was a talented guitar player, who would spend hours every day playing his Fender Stratocaster in his bedroom.
"Some days he would even sneak home — like skip school — to practice his guitar," said John.
"He was gifted and this is what he wanted to do with his life above all things, was play electric guitar — it was his passion."
He was also mature for his age, said John, so much so that he says he was surprised to see media accounts of the crash over the weekend that described Ben as a boy.
"He was only 15 years old and I could talk to this kid like a man," he said. "He was so remarkably mature, so grown up."
Ben loved his mom, his two older sisters and his cat, said John, adding lately all Ben could talk about was the girlfriend he'd started dating this summer.
Ben "loved her madly" and the two were inseparable.
"I was so happy for him," said John. "He wanted to get a job that paid well so they could do good things together … he was excited about the future.
"Getting married, having babies, all these things we were going to do and enjoy with him — they're gone."
The family has yet to make funeral arrangements because of the ongoing police investigation, John said.
Charges laid
On Sunday, RCMP announced 14 charges have been laid against 29-year-old Justin Little, of Calgary, Alta., in connection with the crash, including impaired operation of a vehicle causing death, dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and failure to remain at the scene of an accident.
Police said the driver fled the scene on foot after the crash but was located quickly with the help of police dogs.
John said he's grateful for the work of police, and he's haunted by the question whether his son could have been saved had the driver called an ambulance.
"What if he'd taken some responsibility and called an ambulance? I don't know if my son was sitting there dying alone at the side of the road," he said.
"Maybe something could have been done."
His biggest fear is that his son will be forgotten because he died so young.
"I know he was going to be a force in this world," he said.
"Really, he's the best son that a man can ever have, and I'll miss him forever."
