RCMP have charged a woman after a 10-year-long investigation into a fatal hit and run on a Saskatchewan First Nation.
John Bird was killed on April 3, 2011, when his body was discovered on a grid road on the Montreal Lake First Nation, and was declared dead by first responders, police say.
On March 17, 2021, police arrested Jody Roberts, 32, and charged her with failing to remain at the scene of an accident.
“I was the first officer on (the) scene back in 2011 and I’ve continued to work on this file in one capacity or another these past nearly ten years,” said Cst. Troy Antal of RCMP’s Prince Albert General Investigation Section.
“This was an enormous file with some investigational avenues exhausted, lots of people to speak to, evidence to sift through and many tips coming in each year, which were followed up on. Being able to propel this case forward and have charges laid…as an investigator, it’s a good feeling and especially a good feeling if it helps to bring some sense of closure to a family who has been through so much.”
Sgt. Chris Hansen, the officer in charge of the section, said there were numerous hurdles to overcome during the lengthy investigation.
“Multiple vehicles were examined and determined to be unrelated,” Hansen said.
“The resulting charges speaks to the hard work and diligence of the team and investigators. Cst. Antal never gave up. Our entire team supported him and I’m proud of every one of them.”
Roberts, who is from the Montreal Lake First Nation, made her first court appearance on March 18, and is scheduled to be back in court in Montreal Lake on April 1.
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