A Chatham man has been charged with the lesser charge of manslaughter in connection to the death of another man from Chatham a year ago.
Daulton Bastien, 26, of Oxley Drive in Chatham was originally charged with second degree murder last October, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a Chatham court on Thursday afternoon.
The court heard that Bastien was charged with two others in October of 2021 after Beau Veenstra, 31, of Howard Township died in the hospital of head injuries caused during a fight at a Chatham apartment on September 21, 2021. Police previously reported that Veenstra went to an apartment on Sandys Street in Chatham and allegedly got into a fight with two other men and one woman inside.
The prosecution said Veenstra received multiple blunt force trauma injuries to his head after he was punched, kicked, and stomped. The cause of death is listed as a lack of oxygen to his brain, according to Crown Attorney Robert MacDonald.
Veenstra was transferred from the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance to Windsor Regional Hospital where he died October 8, 2021.
Bastien has been released from custody at the Windsor Jail on a $20,000 bail bond and must follow several bail conditions, including wearing a GPS monitor, he must reside with his surety and be accompanied by her at all times, he must not contact several people, including his two co-accused, must not possess any weapons, and must not consume alcohol or illegal drugs.
A publication ban prevents further information from being made public.
Bastien will be sentenced on November 23, 2022.
Bastien's co-accused, Melvin Manley, 50, and Michelle Hunter, 42, both of Sandys Street in Chatham are also charged with second-degree murder. Their cases are still going through the courts.