Accused killer makes first court appearance

By Delon Shurtz on March 10, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtr@lethbridgeherald.com

A 37-year-old woman accused of deliberately striking and killing a man with her vehicle last year, made her first appearance Tuesday in Lethbridge provincial court.
Melissa Dumaine White Grass, who was charged last week with first-degree murder, appeared in court by closed-circuit TV from the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, where she is in quarantine and remains remanded pending a bail hearing in Court of Queen’s Bench.
Court was told the accused is still working with Alberta Legal Aid to retain a lawyer, and the matter was adjourned to March 16.
At about 4 p.m. on June 1, 2020, Lethbridge police responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian in the west alley of the 900 block of 13 Street South.
The victim, 30-year-old Austin James Forsyth of Lethbridge, was rushed to Chinook Regional Hospital where he later died.
During a news conference last week at the police station, Insp. Jason Walper said police spent several months investigating the incident and events leading up to the collision.
He said a woman saw the victim and another person walking in the alley and decided to strike Forsyth with her vehicle. The other person walking with Forsyth was nearly struck, as well.
Although the vehicle, a 2005 yellow Dodge Ram, fled the scene, the driver remained behind and claimed the collision was accidental.
“The evidence we collected at the scene and through the extensive followup, including talking to witnesses and other investigative techniques we employed throughout the last several months, led our investigators to believe this was an intentional act and not an accidental collision,” Walper said during the news conference.
At about 6 p.m. March 2 police arrested White Grass at a northside residence and charged her with first-degree murder, dangerous driving causing death, and assault with a weapon.

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