Woman appears in court charged with manslaughter over boyfriend’s death in Jindalee, Perth

A woman has appeared in court charged with manslaughter over the death of her boyfriend in Perth’s north at the weekend.

Merlin Smith, 33, was found dead on Marmion Ave in Jindalee about 5.40pm on Saturday.

It is alleged he had been struck by a car. Smith was found near a silver Mitsubishi Outlander.

People living nearby tried to help but his injuries were too severe and he could not be revived.

“I was watching him dying. It was just distressing,” witness Kevin Soltvedt said.

‘Lot of screaming’

Soltvedt said he heard yelling in the minutes before Smith’s death.

“There was a lot of screaming,” Soltvedt said.

Smith’s girlfriend Briana Faye Thorne, 32, was taken into custody on Saturday.

She was charged with manslaughter and appeared in Joondalup Magistrates Court on Monday where she nodded to confirm that she understood the charge against her.

She did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody until December 18.

Among the tributes for Smith at the scene were flowers and an “RIP” spray-painted on a wall by a man who arrived on a scooter.

The man, who had his face covered, then sped off.

A GoFundMe has been launched to help pay for the “beloved” man’s funeral.

“As his death was sudden, my family and I are reaching out for any contributions to assist towards the funeral costs so we can give him the send off that he would appreciate,” campaign organiser Brooke Tranter said.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

In an emergency, call 000.