Supreme Court refuses to hear Cape Breton man's appeal in hit-and-run case

The Supreme Court of Canada is refusing to hear the case of a Cape Breton man accused of striking and killing a little girl with his car.

Colin Hugh Tweedie faced four charges in the death of 10-year-old Talia Forrest in July 2019. Those charges were dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, impaired driving causing death, failing to stop at an accident involving death and obstruction of justice.

Tweedie went to trial in March of last year. Midway through the trial, he pleaded guilty to the obstruction charge and was given probation. Tweedie admitted he'd lied to police when he said his girlfriend was behind the wheel of his SUV when Forrest was struck and killed. He also testified he thought he'd struck a deer, which is why he said he didn't stop after the impact.

A justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court acquitted Tweedie of the other three charges.

The Crown appealed those acquittals and in January of this year, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal overturned those acquittals and ordered a new trial.

Tweedie's lawyers took that decision to the Supreme Court of Canada, which on Thursday announced it would not be hearing the case. As is typical in such instances, the court did not provide any reasons for its decision.

Tweedie now faces a new trial in March of next year.