Woman involved in wrong-way crash that killed aspiring doctor arrested

The woman suspected of causing the wrong-way wreck that killed an Oregon man who aspired to be a doctor and was on his way to his hospital interview has been arrested for second-degree murder.

Grace Elizabeth Ward was booked Tuesday into Shasta County Jail. She also faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon and vandalism and property damage in connection to the Jan. 7 fatal crash on Interstate 5, the California Highway Patrol said.

"Not only was this tragedy felt in California, but all the communities affected by this heartbreaking loss continue to grieve," CHP acting Commander Lt. Scott Fredrick said.

According to CHP, Ward was in a 2009 Chevrolet Impala driving the wrong way on the freeway at high speed when she struck the 2012 maroon Honda Accord driven by Ryan J. Folsom.

Folsom was in the southbound freeway lane on his way to Sacramento. The crash was just south of Knighton Road.

A CHP investigator at the time said Ward, 28, of Red Bluff was bent on trying to kill herself purposely before the crash.

Folsom and Ward were both taken to Mercy Medical Center in Redding. There, Folsom died from his injuries, while Ward suffered a broken leg.

Folsom was soon to be a father for the third time. A friend set up a GoFundMe account for the family that went viral right away. That fund raised $304,751 for Folsom's wife and their three children. The fund no longer is accepting donations.

The CHP asks anyone who has a question or information about the case to call the Shasta County District Attorney's Office at 245-6300.