A grand jury will consider the case against a man charged in a Letcher County crash that killed a woman and her unborn child. Police say the driver, Charles Gross, 36, was high on pain killers when it happened.

Gross is charged with murder, fetal homicide, driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance.

A state police detective testified Wednesday that Gross admitted to snorting Loratab before the November 9th crash on Highway 931 in the Salt Lick community. Gross also told police he refused to let his passenger, Amanda Smith, 28, drive the car despite her asking several times.

Sergeant Brian Damron arrived first on the scene as bystanders tried to revive Smith. He says it did not take long to realize Gross was high.

"What I found was a green powdery substance that was in and around his nostrils and he had admitted to snorting a Loratab," said Sergeant Brian Damron with the Letcher County Sheriff's Department.

Doctors tried to save Smith's unborn child by performing an emergency C-section at the hospital.
Officials say the mother and child both died from blunt force trauma.

Police say they did find pills on Gross after the crash. They are now awaiting results from blood tests.

The grand jury will hear the case next month.