Woman tried over windscreen death

Mallard 'kept apologising' to the man

An American woman has appeared in court charged with murder after hitting a homeless man with her car and driving home with him stuck in her windscreen.

Chante Jawan Mallard, 27, is accused of letting the man bleed to death in the garage of her home in Fort Worth, Texas.

Police say the former nurse's aide hit 37-year-old Gregory Biggs in October, 2001, and carried on driving for about 1.5 kilometres (one mile).

Medical officials said Mr Biggs, who had been living in a shelter, probably died the next day due to his injuries but might have survived if he had received medical help.

Drove through town

Ms Mallard told police she hit Mr Biggs with such force that his body crashed through the windscreen, while his legs bent over the roof of his car.

She does not know how long it took the man to die; she quit going out into the garage

Police report

Police said she continued along a six-lane highway and through the town before reaching home.

According to the police report, Ms Mallard kept returning to the garage to tell Mr Biggs she was sorry.

"She does not know how long it took the man to die; she quit going out into the garage," the report said.

His body was found the next day, dumped in a park.

Two of Ms Mallard's friends have been jailed for nine and 10 years for helping to dispose of the body.

'Panicked'

Ms Mallard's lawyer, Mike Heiskell, said his client was only guilty of failing to stop, and not guilty of murder.

"[Ms Mallard] was simply a frightened, emotionally distraught young woman who had an accident, panicked and made a wrong choice," he said.

Ms Mallard pleaded guilty to a charge of tampering with evidence, before the court began dealing with the murder charge.

Acting on a tip-off, police searched Ms Mallard's house in February 2002, and found the car in the garage with the windscreen and rear glass broken.

Burned car seats were found in Ms Mallard's back yard.

If convicted of murder, Ms Mallard faces life in prison.