Pensacola woman sentenced in 2023 fatal crash

Video above: ‘News 5 Now’ — Top Stories from May 20, 2026 PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — A Pensacola woman has been sentenced for the death of a bicyclist in June 2023, after she hit him and left the scene, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. According to an FHP news release, 43-year-old Jessica Hendrickson of Pensacola was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaving the scene of an accident causing death. The charges stemmed from an incident on June 10, 2023, when Jeffrey Nichols, a 22-year Navy veteran, was riding his bicycle along State Road 292 and was hit from behind by Hendrickson. According to the release, Nichols was riding his bike on the shoulder of the road when the car Hendrickson was driving hit him and drove off. Nichol's daughter was on the phone with him at the time and found her father dead. Hendrickson's car was found after it was towed to Alabama to be repaired; however, Hendrickson was not found until later when officials located her in Kentucky, where she had fled to avoid prosecution, according to the release. In addition to 10 years imprisonment, Hendrickson was sentenced to two years of Community Control, 18 years of probation and a lifetime revocation of her license.