Man gets 20 years after causing crash that killed pregnant woman while high on fentanyl, meth

MUNCIE, Ind. — A Marion man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for several felony offenses, including operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in the blood, for his involvement in a crash that left a pregnant woman dead.

The Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office announced that Nicholas Blackburn learned his sentence on Aug. 25 following the conclusion of a jury trial in Delaware County Circuit Court 4. He was previously convicted on March 26 of the following charges:

• Two counts of causing death when operating a vehicle with a schedule I or II controlled substance in the blood, each a Level 4 felony
• One count of involuntary manslaughter, a Level 5 felony
• A misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle with a schedule I or II controlled substance or its metabolite in the blood

As part of his sentencing, the court suspended Blackburn’s driving license for one year.

Court documents previously detailed that Blackburn had been charged following a fatal crash that the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded to on April 27, 2023. Deputies were called to the east side of Muncie in response to a reported crash with entrapment. Deputies later found the driver, who was identified as Brittany Wilson, unresponsive.

Deputies learned that Blackburn, who was operating a black Chevrolet, had rear-ended Wilson’s silver vehicle. Wilson, who was six months pregnant at the time, later died at an area hospital.

While on the scene, previous reporting indicates that Blackburn told responding deputies he had briefly looked at his phone to change his music before the crash occurred. Blackburn denied consuming any alcohol but admitted to having Methadone earlier that same day.

While investigating, deputies reviewed the airbag control module crash data recorder for both vehicles, which confirmed the Chevrolet was traveling at 60 mph moments before the crash occurred. It also found that Blackburn did not apply any brakes.

Meanwhile, the data for the silver vehicle revealed that it was traveling at 25 mph and that the brakes were utilized.

A subsequent toxicology test determined that Blackburn had tested positive for amphetamine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, norfentanyl, methadone and EDDP. Online court records indicate Blackburn has previously been charged with cocaine possession and burglary in 2008 and 2018, respectively.