A man from Oregon, Ohio, has been charged with two counts of second-degree homicide after authorities claim he caused the collision that killed a pregnant Michigan woman.
The crash occurred around 10 p.m. Saturday on U.S. 23, north of Consear Road in Whiteford Township, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The 24-year-old from Oregon, Ohio, sideswiped Kaitlyn A. Ellison, 32, of Petersburg, Michigan, according to authorities. Witnesses told detectives that the man was driving past other vehicles on the right shoulder before colliding with Ellison as he attempted to merge into the right lane from the shoulder, according to the sheriff’s office.
The impact pulled Ellison’s vehicle off the road, causing it to roll over multiple times. Ellison was brought to a Toledo hospital and pronounced dead.
The sheriff’s office reported she was seven months pregnant. Her unborn child was also pronounced dead, according to officials.
The 24-year-old motorist walked away from the collision. According to detectives, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office K9 and Drone teams began searching for him and eventually located him at the Pilot Gas Station on US-223.
According to the sheriff’s office, speed and drinking were contributing factors to the crash.
Deputies charged the 24-year-old with two counts of second-degree homicide and two counts of OWI causing death. Authorities are withholding his name until he is arraigned.
According to a GoFundMe page set up to support Ellison’s family, she was on her way home from work when the crash occurred. According to the campaign, the single mother is leaving behind three small children.
