The case of a teen accused of killing an Indigenous woman by throwing a trailer hitch at her from a moving car in Thunder Bay, Ont., will be back in court in the city in the new year.

Brayden Bushby was originally charged with aggravated assault by Thunder Bay police in February. Kentner died in July and Bushby was subsequently charged again with second degree murder in November after a review of the case by the Crown, the regional coroner's office and the Thunder Bay police's criminal investigations branch.

Bushby's case was briefly up in court in Thunder Bay on Dec. 4, where a pretrial was scheduled for Jan. 2, 2018. A pretrial is a closed meeting among lawyers and a judge to discuss issues that could arise should the case go to trial.

Bushby did not attend the December court date; he was represented by his lawyer, Ryan Green.

A judge released Bushby on a recognizance with a number of conditions at a bail hearing later the same day the murder charge was laid. In granting the release, the judge said Bushby had no violations of any of the conditions placed on him since he was charged with aggravated assault.

The original aggravated assault charge was withdrawn.