EAST LANSING, Mich. — The East Lansing Police Department (ELPD) has received the toxicology reports related to the fatal accident that occurred on US-127 during the early morning hours of September 18, 2014.
According to the results, Nicole Ann Merschel, the driver of the small sedan traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of US-127, had a blood alcohol level of .169 and also had traces of THC in her blood (the active component in marijuana). ELPD has determined that these were contributing factors to the accident.
BackgroundAt approximately 1:50 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18, ELPD responded to a report of a head-on collision on northbound US-127 near the I-496 interchange.
Upon conducting an initial investigation, it was determined that a small sedan was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of US-127, causing a collision with a northbound cargo van.
The driver and sole occupant of the van, a 36-year-old male from Milwaukee, Wis.; along with the passenger of the sedan, a 22-year-old female from Weslaco, Texas; were transported to Sparrow Hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the sedan, an 18-year-old female from Mason (Merschel), was deceased at the scene.
ELPD was later notified that the passenger of the sedan, Jessi Christyne Nunn, passed away at Sparrow Hospital on Sunday, Sept. 21. The driver of the van was later released from the hospital.