Background
Janice Ann Winblad was born on August 9, 1935 in Astoria, New York to Anthony LeRoy Winblad (1912–1970) and Maria W. Zorovich (1912–1993).
Janice Ann Winblad was born on August 9, 1935 in Astoria, New York to Anthony LeRoy Winblad (1912–1970) and Maria W. Zorovich (1912–1993).
During the trial Janice"s daughter wrote that she had forgiven the drunk driver and urged that the court do likewise. The subsequent court case led to a Nebraska Supreme Court decision on the issue of leniency in drunk driving deaths. The story was part of an The Oprah Winfrey Show and the book The Road To Forgiveness: Hearts Shattered by Tragedy, Transformed by Love.
Janice Winblad married Joseph Anthony Nicolich on May 15, 1954 in Astoria.
Joseph and Janice Nicolich were on their way to their son"s wedding in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 28, 1996. They were on Interstate 80, near Sidney, Nebraska in their Chrysler Town and Country van.
lieutenant was raining and Joe saw a car stationary at the side of the road with its flashers on. He was pulling onto the shoulder and slowed down to approximately 25 miles per hour (40 km/h) when he was hit from behind.
Robyn Griffiths and Janice Winblad Nicolich were killed.
The trial court sentenced Verma Harrison, the drunk driver, to five years probation on each count. The sentences were to be served consecutively. The conditions of probation subjected Harrison to random drug and alcohol testing, home visitations, and a treatment referral.
The light sentence was appealed by Joe Nicolich and was heard by the Nebraska State Court of Appeals which found the sentence to be excessively lenient.
On January 22, 1999 the Nebraska Supreme Court upheld the original sentencing. Nicolich"s story was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1998 and in The Road To Forgiveness: Hearts Shattered by Tragedy, Transformed by Love, published in 2001.