POLSON — A plea deal has been reached in the case of a woman who was charged with striking and killing Mika Westwolf on U.S. Highway 93 in Arlee in March of 2023.
Sunny Katherinne White had faced five charges for Westwolf’s hit-and-run death, including vehicular homicide while under the influence. White had previously pleaded not guilty to all five charges that she faced.
During a Wednesday court appearance in Polson, just over a year after the charges were introduced, White pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and "incidents involving another person."
Two counts of criminal child endangerment and one count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
"The court accepts the defendant's guilty pleas and finds the defendant has submitted a sufficient factual basis to support the guilty pleas," stated Judge Molly Owen.
MTN reached out to White's attorneys, but they declined to comment on her plea agreement.
Westwolf, also known as Moht-ta-pai-yissaapii, was a 22-year-old Indigenous woman with multiple tribal affiliations including Blackfeet, Diné, Cree, and Klamath.
Westwolf was walking home in the early morning along Highway 93 near White Coyote Road when she was hit and killed by the vehicle White was driving.
After her daughter died, Carissa Heavy Runner, created the Mika Matters Movement, pushing for justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
Now, almost two years later, Heavy Runner feels closer to closure.
"I look at it as a win for us, but it's a win for, you know, everyone else out there that has lost someone. That was a huge weight off my shoulders," shared Heavy Runner.
A sentencing date for White has not yet been set, although it is expected to take place in early 2025.
Heavy Runner hopes friends and family will attend in support.
