The teen boy accused of first-degree murder in the death of York Regional Police Const. Garrett Styles appeared in court for the first time Monday.

The accused cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act due to his age.

He appeared in a Newmarket, Ont. courthouse with several members of his family.

The teen faces charges in relation to the June 28, 2011 death of Styles, who police say pulled the 15-year-old over in the early hours of the morning on Highway 48 northeast of Toronto.

Police said he was driving his parents' minivan with three other youths inside and he didn't have a license.

Police said the accused tried to speed away from Styles, but dragged the officer before he finally lost control of the van, pinning Styles underneath.

The accused was also badly injured in the collision and was left a quadriplegic due to his injuries. He is now confined to a wheelchair.

The teen's lawyer, David Berg, said the past year has been a terrible one for both his client and for the Styles family.

"There is no good outcome," Berg told reporters outside the courthouse. "At the end of the day, Mr. Styles is still dead and my client is still a quadriplegic. I don't see a good outcome."

The Crown said it will seek an adult sentence for the teen. If he is found guilty, he could face life in prison.

Monday was also the first time Styles' widow, Melissa Styles, faced the teen accused of killing her husband.

Melissa Styles, dressed in black, arrived with her family by her side. She cried as the charges against the accused were read out.

Some members of the York Regional Police Service also attended court, wearing bracelets with Styles' badge number on them.

The accused spoke only once during the court appearance, saying "yes" when asked if he understood the charges against him.

Justice Peter Bourque called the situation "a very sad and unfortunate incident."

The rest of the proceedings on the first day of the preliminary hearing were covered by a publication ban.

The judge is allowing the accused to be absent for the remainder of the preliminary hearing because of his medical issues.

The accused will appear in court again near the end of June when a judge will determine whether his case will go to trial.

With files from CTV Barrie's Heather Wright