A State Police Trooper critically injured in a hit and run on New Year’s Eve was released from a Charleston
Sgt. Aaron Nichols was thrown from a car in St. Albans in his attempt to stop a shoplifter. Nichols, off-duty at the time, suffered a severe head injury but has made a significant recovery.
“It didn’t look real good in the beginning,” State Police spokesman Sgt. Mike Baylous said Tuesday. “All we can do is thank everybody for their thoughts and their prayers.”
Sgt. Baylous say Sgt. Nichols’ wife was quick to request prayer following the accident. He says the couple was very happy when they left the hospital and stopped by State Police headquarters on their way home.
“His wife wanted to get him on home and get him to rest, which was the proper thing to do, but he’s back to being himself,” Baylous said. “He’s a little hard-headed sometimes, like we all are, and he wanted to get in here and see everybody for a few minutes.”
Baylous says Nichols still has significant work to do before he’s fully recovered but at least he can do that from home.
The alleged shoplifter and driver of the car, Jennifer Garretson, 35, of St. Albans , turned herself in to police a few days after the accident. She’s charged with malicious wounding. The case has been forwarded to the Kanawha County
