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Ka-Mikosit Mae Favelle pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her ex-partner, Adam Briand-Lawrence in a Kelowna Provincial courtroom on Tuesday, July 15.
Favelle's plea came years after the incident that caused Briand-Lawrence's death in West Kelowna on Aug. 19, 2022.
Before the guilty plea, an agreed-upon Statement of Facts was read aloud to the court by Crown counsel.
Briand-Lawrence and Favelle had been in an intimate relationship since February 2022.
The relationship between the two was acrimonious, with both using cocaine and alcohol.
On Aug. 19, following an afternoon of boating, Favelle was driving her car up Horizon Drive between Aurora Heights and Olympus Way in West Kelowna, with Briand-Lawrence in the passenger seat, at approximately 5:40 p.m.
The two were arguing, and Briand-Lawrence got out of the car, yelling loudly. He reportedly had a large bottle of vodka in his hand.
The court, which included both of the couple's family members, heard that Favelle continued driving up the hill for approximately 150 metres before making a U-turn to drive back down the hill towards Briand-Lawrence.
Favelle then accelerated, reaching a maximum speed of 95 km/h, while Briand-Lawrence continued to yell loudly and gestured with his arms in a taunting manner.
In a second or so before impact, Briand-Lawrence moved "approximately" a meter or two to his left onto the shoulder of the roadway, as Favelle drove down the hill toward the curve in the road.
"Nevertheless, she failed to negotiate the curve to the left and continued straight, striking Briand-Lawrence," said Crown. "Favelle's objective was to threaten and intimidate him. Her driving was criminally negligent, but she did not intend to hit Briand-Lawrence with her car, and she did not intend to kill."
Briand-Lawrence suffered numerous injuries and died "either immediately or almost immediately" after impact, said Crown.
Both Favelle and Briand-Lawrence had various substances in their system at the time of the incident, including alcohol, methamphetamine and cocaine.
Upon being taken to hospital, as Favelle's car went off the road and rolled over onto its roof, police demanded a breath sample from her, which she refused.
After what Kelowna RCMP called a "complex investigation", a warrant was issued for Favelle's arrest more than a year after the incident, on Sept. 15, 2023, on charges of second-degree murder, criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death.
Favelle was arrested but granted bail in November 2023. She had elected to be tried by jury in March 2025, but later entered a re-election to trial by judge in June.
Favelle was initially charged with second-degree murder. However, she pleaded guilty to the "lesser included offence" of manslaughter.
A pre-sentence report, psychiatric assessment and are being requested by the defence lawyer, Paul McMurray.
Favelle will be in court next, on Sept. 22, 2025, to fix a date for sentencing.
