“She died doing what she loved,” Off-duty nurse struck on I-95

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE): An off-duty nurse was struck and killed on I-95 after she stopped to help a passenger in a rollover crash on Sunday morning.

Jennifer Toscano, 34, from Stoughton Massachusetts stopped around 1:45 a.m., to help get the passenger who was stuck in a car near the Pawtucket exit, according to State Police.

‘She died doing something she loved and I’m not surprised,” Savannah Richard, a former co-worker said.

According to Richard, Toscano leaves behind a young son. Richard said Toscano worked at the Bridgewater State Hospital since 2017.

“She could talk down some of the most frustrated and angry patients working at the State Hospital with just her smile, or her laugh and bubbly personality,” Richard said.

Brian Sullivan, another former co-worker at Bridgewater State Hospital, said Toscano was a charge nurse, responsible for her own unit.

“She left this earth doing what she did best, and what was helping people,” Sullivan said.

State Police say the driver that struck Toscano fled the scene but his car was later found.

Luis Baez, 22, from Massachusetts was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, resulting in death, among other charges.

“It definitely could have been prevented,” Richard said.

“What happened was tragic but speaks on what type of person she was,” Sullivan said.

State Police tell ABC6 News that the passenger Toscano died trying to save was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Baez will be arraigned in Providence District Court on Monday.