White admits to vehicular homicide of Arlee woman

Judge Molly Owen tentatively set sentencing for early February for a Butte woman who pled guilty to charges related to the hit-and-run death of 22-year-old Mika Westwolf.

Sunny Katherinne White, 29, entered a plea of guilty in District Court in Polson Oct. 30 to felony charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence and accidents involving another person or deceased person. The charges carry a combined maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.

In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss two counts of criminal child endangerment and criminal possession of dangerous drugs at sentencing. The agreement also calls for the state to reserve the right to argue for no more than 25 years in prison, which would include 15 years suspended, and a 10-year parole restriction for vehicular homicide while under the influence.

The defense reserves the right to argue for no less than a 20-year prison sentence, 15 years suspended and no parole restriction. The parties agreed to a five-year term, all suspended on the second charge, with the sentences to run consecutively. The judge is not bound by the agreement.

According to court records, on March 31, 2023, shortly after 4 a.m., Officer T.J. Haynes with the Flathead Tribal Police, was traveling on U.S. Highway 93 just north of Arlee when he said he “observed vehicle debris and a body lying next to the fog line.”

The victim, later identified as Westwolf, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Based on the debris field, it was determined that the suspect vehicle was possibly gold in color. A little more than an hour later, a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy observed a 2008 Cadillac Escalade with front-end damage and missing a passenger-side rearview mirror parked north of Polson.

The deputy observed White moving items from the Escalade into another vehicle. White told the deputy that her vehicle was overheating. She also indicated that she had hit a deer and didn’t stop, although she wasn’t sure where the deer collision occurred.

There were two children in the car, ages 2 and 4. White claimed she was passing a bottle to the younger child when she struck the deer. She also explained that she was traveling from Butte to Kalispell.

The Montana Highway Patrol took over the investigation and the Escalade was towed to a secure facility. Investigators were able to obtain phone records and video surveillance from businesses that helped establish White’s trajectory from Butte to the crime scene. Using that data, it was determined that White left Butte after midnight and drove through “Missoula around 2:45 a.m. and was at the scene of the crash” where the body was found, “at exactly 3:00 a.m.”

A search of the Escalade turned up methamphetamine, five syringes and two unopened packages of Narcan. A search warrant was obtained for a blood draw from White. The results indicated fentanyl and methamphetamine were in her system.

White was arrested in Kalispell on Oct. 20, 2023, on a warrant from Lake County with bond set at $200,000. She posted bond that day.

White remains at liberty pending sentencing.