St. Albans , Kanawha County , West Virginia

The West Virginia State Police sergeant who was the victim of a hit and run earlier this week continues to show signs of improvement.

Sgt. Aaron Nichols is breathing on his own and has been taken off of the ventilator he had been placed on since the New Year's Eve incident in St. Albans, Sgt. Michael Baylous of the West Virginia State Police said.

Baylous told Eyewitness News that Nichols was active and more alert and nodded his head that he understood a fellow trooper who stopped by to see him Thursday morning. Doctors continue to monitor his breathing.

Jennifer Garretson, the woman State Police said allegedly hit Nichols with her vehicle, turned herself in to authorities Wednesday afternoon. She was charged with malicious wounding and was lodged in the South Central Regional Jail.

Keep checking wchstv.com for updates.

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New details have emerged about the woman arrested for allegedly hitting and critically injuring a West Virginia state trooper with her car.

Troopers picked up Jennifer Garretson at a residence on Red Oak Drive in Institute on Wednesday afternoon after an intensive search. Police said she hit Sgt. Aaron Nichols with her car Monday evening while trying to flee the Goody's parking lot. Police said, while off-duty, Nichols spotted her shoplifting and intervened.

The trooper who arrested her apparently had been in contact with her since Monday, trying to persuade her to turn herself in to authorities. She was a former Child Protective Services worker in Putnam County and the trooper knew her through that job. She is no longer a CPS worker.

In 2011, Garretson was arrested twice for forging and for attempting to obtain controlled substance by fraud, according the the Department of Corrections website. She was out on parole at the time of the accident.

Nichols remains in the intensive care unit at Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston. His condition is improving, but he suffered a serious head injury.

Garretson is in jail held on a 150,000 dollar bond.

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The suspect in the hit-and-run of a state trooper has been arrested.

Authorities said Jennifer Garretson has been arrested. State Police said she turned herself into authorities. Garretson was picked up at a residence on Red Oak Drive in Institute, where police said she had been hiding out since the incident Monday.

Garretson has been charged with malicious wounding.

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State Police have released the name of the officer struck by a vehicle while he was trying to stop a shoplifter.

Sgt. Aaron Nichols is the officer who was injured Monday night near the Goody's clothing store in St. Albans, State Police said. He was in stable but guarded condition in the intensive care unit of the Charleston Area Medical Center.

Police are still looking for the suspect in the case.

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As day three approaches in the search for Jennifer Elaine Garretson, the woman accused of hitting an off duty state trooper with her car, we're now learning more about her past.

Garretson was out on parole when the incident happened on Monday night. She was convicted of multiple forgery counts out of Nitro and was released from prison in February 2012.

The trooper who was hit is a Sergeant and remains in critical condition. Police are still searching for Garretson. Sgt. Michael Baylous says if someone knows where she is and is helping her, they can be charged with aiding and abetting which is a felony.

If you know where Garretson is, call state police.

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Eyewitness News has learned that the West Virginia State Trooper who was hit by a car late New Year's Eve is a Sergeant assigned to headquarters with about a dozen years experience.

The name of the trooper has not been released, but he does remain in critical condition. First Sgt. Michael Baylous says the trooper is improving and is responsive and does not need surgery but adds he is not out of the woods yet. Troopers continue to search for Jennifer Garretson, the woman they say allegedly shoplifted and then hit the off duty trooper near the Goody's Clothing Store about 5 p.m. Monday.

Keep checking wchstv.com for updates.

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State Police have released the name of the suspect they're looking for in a hit and run involving a trooper.

Troopers are looking for Jennifer Garretson. She was last seen wearing a long sleeved pink shirt and boots. She has medium length wavy, sandy brown hair.

Garretson was last seen driving an older, dark blue Honda Civic with rust at the bottom and a loud muffler. If you have any information, call 911.

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The West Virginia State Police and officers with the St. Albans Police Department are looking for a woman who allegedly hit an off duty trooper with her car after she was caught shoplifting.

Investigators say it happened at near the Goody's Clothing Store around 5pm.

Officers say the woman was driving a small dark colored, possibly flat back, compact car with rust at the bottom. She is described as in her 30's, wearing a long sleeved pink shirt and boots. She has medium length wavy brown hair.

The trooper is in critical condition at CAMC General.

Anyone with information should call 911.

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