West Fargo woman involved in fatal April crash told investigators she believed victim "was trying to commit suicide"

(West Fargo, ND) -- A West Fargo woman accused of hitting and killing a motorcyclist in an April vehicle crash says the victim may have intended to take his own life.

The claim is according to court documents, which say 28-year-old Taquoya Saldana was driving 75 mph in a 40mph zone from a social event when her vehicle collided with a motorcycle ridden by 31-year-old Thomas Fradet, who later died from his injuries. The documents say Saldana told investigators that she "believed that the motorcycle driver was trying to commit suicide."

Additionally, authorities say Saldana tested 0.07 for blood alcohol content, just below the legal limit of 0.08. That means her maximum possible sentence is halved from a previous estimate of 20 years to 10, if Saldana were to be found guilty.

Saldana's charges were upgraded earlier this week after five months of investigations. She faces up to 10-years in prison