REDDING, Cal. –
The suicidal driver who hit and killed a local father, received a sentence to life in prison on Friday. Grace Ward faces a lifetime behind bars, with the possibility of parole after 18 years. The Shasta County District Attorney’s Office reported the sentence as the result of her plea to second degree murder, along with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
On January 7th, Ward ran head on into Ryan Folsom. Folsom was just 29 years old and aspiring to become a doctor. He was headed to Sacramento for an interview at UC Davis Medical Center. Ward told officers she intentionally drove into traffic on the interstate in an attempt to commit suicide. According to the Attorney’s Office four cars swerved out of her way, before she collided with Folsom. Folsom’s wife was pregnant at the time with their third son.
The Shasta County District Attorney’s Office reported that at the sentencing on Friday both Folsom’s wife and his mother offered Ward forgiveness.
Folsom played football for North Medford High School and Brigham Young University. According to his obituary, he would have graduated with honors from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
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