ROAD RAGE INCIDENT LEADS TO MULTIPLE FELONY CHARGES

Matt Boster

Viewed: 6311

Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Nov 10 2015 2:02 PM

 A Baker resident driving with an elderly passenger is charged with deliberately ramming cars during multiple hit and run collisions on State Road 85 south of Crestview Monday. The suspect later told an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy he was attempting to “rid his town of evil people and that he did not like their kind.” 30-year old Henry Clay Johnson Jr. of 8211 Tommie Steele Road is charged with five counts of aggravated battery using a deadly weapon, elderly abuse, and fleeing and eluding.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office received calls of a road rage incident around eleven a.m. involving a man in a green Chevrolet truck following cars and rear-ending them on the highway. The first victim, a 60-year old Crestview resident, was driving her red Cadillac DTS northbound on State Road 85 when Johnson accelerated and hit the rear of her car. When she pulled over to the side of the road she says Johnson stopped, walked back to her car, and told her “I don’t like your kind and get out of town.” A second victim, a 42-year old Crestview resident, say he noticed Johnson’s fast moving truck coming up behind him while he traveled north in his black Mitsubishi Lancer. Johnson followed and tailgated him as the victim changed lanes to try to get away.

He says Johnson continued to speed up and strike his car, causing him to lose traction and fishtail before he regained control and turned off the highway. A third victim, a 26-year old Crestview man driving a black Honda Civic, was also rammed twice from behind by Johnson, and nearly lost control of his vehicle just north of the Shoal River Bridge.

An OCSO deputy responding to the calls attempted to pull over Johnson on South Ferdon Boulevard in Crestview. Johnson however swerved and intentionally hit a black Dodge Ram truck being driven by a 52-year old Milton resident. A passenger was also in that vehicle. The deputy says Johnson ran a red light and made a U-turn before eventually pulling into the parking lot of Captain D’s restaurant where he was taken into custody without incident.

His elderly passenger, who had tried to stop Johnson from striking the other cars, was taken to North Okaloosa Medical Center due to emotional trauma. The driver of the Honda Civic was taken to NOMC for treatment of injuries. Two other victims say they planned to seek medical treatment as well. The Crestview Police Department was also involved in the investigation and transported Johnson to the Okaloosa County Jail.

<- back