Ryan Watkins was charged with criminal negligence causing death and other counts, including breaking the terms of a court order involving house arrest. (CBC)

One of the men charged after a woman died in a racing incident in eastern Newfoundland earlier this month had been instructed to stay at home under house arrest, CBC News has learned.

Ryan Watkins, 20, remains in police custody after being charged on May 11 with criminal negligence causing death, dangerous driving and failure to remain at the scene.

Watkins, who has also been charged with breaching a court order to stay at his parent's house, is scheduled to make an appearance on Wednesday at provincial court in Gander.

RCMP say Henerietta Head, 71, died after two racing cars forced her car off the Reach Run Causeway outside Boyd's Cove, and into the ocean. Head was found in a partially submerged car.

Soon after the May 9 incident, RCMP arrested Watkins, who lives in Summerford, as well as Boyd's Cove resident Richard William Glibbery, also 20.

Court records in Ontario show that Watkins had been in trouble with the law several times in the two years leading up to the crash.

He pleaded guilty to trying to rob a Toronto convenience store with a fake gun and a mask. Because of the plea, Watkins was allowed to travel with his mother to Newfoundland, where he was to continue to serve house arrest while he awaited sentencing.

"He took his charge very seriously," said his Ontario lawyer, Paul Tomlinson.

"I had no reason to believe that something was going to occur while his sentencing was pending."

The conditions of Watkins's release stipulated that he be supervised with his parents or attend a school in Lewisporte so that he could learn a trade.

Tomlinson said Watkins was remorseful for the holdup.

"There was no reason for me to think that Ryan Watkins was in any way anti-social, a punk, or anything of that nature," he said.

"He was a hard-working young man. He had gone to school. As I said, he delivered his resume to 25 or more people."

Court documents also show that Watkins has been fined for speeding, having open liquor in a car and driving with a suspended licence.

He had also been charged with assaulting his girlfriend in January 2007, although that charge was dropped after Watkins signed a peace bond.