The woman who caused a fatal collision May 1 on Interstate 68 has died, according to state police.
Nicole Ferrise, 48, died several days later at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital from injuries sustained in the head-on collision near the 6.5 mile marker, according to the West Virginia State Police.
The crash ejected Steven Knotts, 22, from his vehicle. Knotts was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
A search warrant for Ferrise’s medical records, including a toxicology report, said her “gross negligence” and actions resulted in Knotts’ death.
The warrant was to collect evidence of negligent homicide.
Ferrise entered I-68 traveling west in the eastbound lane and sideswiped an SUV before crashing into Knotts’ blue Toyota Corolla, police said.
The driver of the SUV told police he saw Ferrise’s white Chrysler 300 coming toward him and turned left before being sideswiped, which spun him around in the median, according to the search warrant.
A UPS driver in front of the SUV said he blew his horn and was waving at Ferrise to get her attention and saw the crash in his side mirror, the search warrant said. Ferrise did not brake, the driver said.
Trooper M. Wilson, who investigated the crash, did not see any brake marks from either of the vehicles in the head-on collision, the warrant said.
Another witness, who was almost to Exit 7, also honked her horn at Ferrise, according to the warrant. However, the vehicle continued and did not slow or weave.
