Man charged with killing OPP officer returns to court Oct. 21

Ontario Provincial Police work a scene where an officer died while on duty in Hearst on June 9, 2026. The accused in the case, Justin Veronneau, was in court Sept. 9. (File)

The man accused of running over and killing Ontario Provincial Police Const. Tarun Bali last spring in northern Ont. was in court Sept. 9 via video from the Monteith Correctional Complex.

Justin Veronneau, wearing prison orange with a brown beard and shoulder-length hair, was told his judicial pre-trial will be held Oct. 8.

Defence lawyer Sharon Sabourin said they have received an initial round of disclosure from the Crown, with more sent last week.

There is quite a lot of information to go through, Sabourin said, ahead of the judicial pre-trial.

Veronneau, 18, is accused of murdering Bali on June 9 when the officer was trying to stop a fleeing suspect and was hit by a car.

The incident happened on Kendall Concession Road 7 near Concession Road 6 in Hearst.

In the days following the tragedy, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said Veronneau had fled from a hospital where he was being assessed under the authority of the Mental Health Act when Bali was killed.

His case will return to court Oct. 21 for an update on the process ahead of scheduling a preliminary hearing.