Unconscious patient Utah nurse was arrested for protecting dies

The patient a Utah nurse was arrested for protecting in a video that went viral earlier this month has died.

William Gray, a truck driver and reserve officer with the Rigby Police Department in Idaho, died of his injuries Monday night after getting into a car crash with a suspect fleeing the police.

The news was announced by the Rigby Police Department.

"He has been in a long hard fight. Tonight, his body lost this fight," a lengthy statement on the department's Facebook page read. "We would like to offer our condolences to his wife, April, and their beloved ones. We say 'body' because his spirit will live on with all of us. Bill was truly the best of mankind. Always willing to help, always willing to go the extra mile. … Everything about him was generous and kind."

Gray had been hospitalized in the burn unit at University of Utah Hospital since July after a truck driver trying to escape police in Logan crossed into oncoming traffic and hit Gray's semi-truck.

The suspect died at the scene, while Gray was rushed to the hospital with burns covering almost half his body.

In September, a Salt Lake City police detective was seen on body camera video berating nurse Alex Wubbels after she refused to provide officers with a sample of Gray's blood.

Wubbels, citing hospital policy, said she was not allowed to draw blood from an unconscious Gray without his consent or a warrant for his arrest.

Police Detective Jeff Payne told Wubbels she was interfering with a criminal investigation, and then placed her under arrest as she screamed for the detective to stop saying he was "assaulting her."

Wubbels was placed in a patrol car and later released without any charges filed against her.

The disturbing video led to Payne being fired from his paramedic job and sparked an FBI probe.