"Days of Our Lives" watched Eric and Nicole go on with their lives, but it was obvious that there was still a spark between them (via Soaps in Depth). Sadly, after Serena was murdered by The Necktie Killer, who turned out to be Ben Weston (Robert Scott Wilson), Eric felt very guilty about her death. He began drinking to mask his pain and soon developed an alcohol abuse problem. Eric's constant drinking led him to make some very poor decisions, and on New Year's Eve he got behind the wheel of his car and drove drunk, eventually causing an accident that killed Daniel. Nicole was furious with Eric, and wanted nothing more to do with him.
Eric eventually recovered from his injuries and turned himself in to the police. He was sentenced to five years in prison but was released early due to good behavior. He returned to Salem, but found it hard to live in the same town with people who knew and loved Daniel, especially Nicole (via Soaps in Depth). Later, when Nicole was sentenced to community service, she was forced to work alongside Eric at the Horton Center.
