Sunny White attorney plans to seek venue change

The Butte woman accused of striking and killing Mika Westwolf appeared in Polson District Court April 10 for an omnibus hearing.

Sunny Katherinne White, 29, is charged with felony charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence, or in the alternative, negligent homicide, accidents involving another person or deceased person, two counts of criminal child endangerment and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, all felonies.

The charges stem from the March 31, 2023 alleged hit-and-run death of Westwolf as she walked along U. S. Highway 93 in the Arlee area. The charges carry a combined maximum of 65 years in prison.

The omnibus hearing was continued at the request of White’s attorney, Meghan Benson, managing attorney with the Public Defender’s Office in Missoula. Benson also notified the court of her intention to file a motion for a change of venue, but did not indicate when that might be filed.

She also requested that White’s children only be identified by their initials. Nowhere in the charging documents are the children identified by any other way, however some media outlets have used the children’s names.

As it stands now, White is due back in court for a pre-conference hearing Aug. 28 with her trial set for Sept. 30. She is at liberty after posting a $200,000 bond.