A Bay St. Louis man is expected to soon be arrested for the DUI death of a Picayune woman.

Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam said the suspect, 30-year-old Shane Michael Hicks, of 4102 Robin St., Bay St. Louis, was originally arrested for DUI first offense after his vehicle struck a Picayune woman Saturday night. Hancock County Coroner Jim Faulk identified the woman as Kristy May Pate of Picayune.

The Sea Coast Echo reports that Hicks’ vehicle collided with Pate while she was switching places with the driver of the vehicle she was in.

Faulk said Pate was transported to University Medical Center in New Orleans, where she passed away the next day.

According to her Facebook page, she was 38.

Adam said while his department did not investigate the accident, a deputy was called out by the Bay St. Louis Police Department to conduct the DUI investigation and initially arrest him for DUI first. That night, probable cause was acquired to obtain a warrant to draw blood from Hicks, at which time he was transported to a hospital to collect the sample.

That evidence later gave the department enough evidence to secure an affidavit for Hicks on the upgraded offense of DUI causing death. Adam said once the judge signs the affidavit, Hicks will be arrested on that offense. As of Thursday, Hicks was out on bond.

Additional details about the accident were unavailable because calls to the Bay St. Louis Police Department were not returned by press time.