By Joanna Keen
Police1
RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — A south Florida police officer has been arrested after crashing his patrol car into another vehicle on Father’s Day, killing two people inside, 12 News West Palm Beach reported.
Officer Carl Johnson was driving his Riviera Beach Police Department patrol car at 94 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone with no lights or sirens on, according to a Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office investigation cited by the 12 News report. At the conclusion of the investigation, Johnson was charged with two counts of negligent vehicular homicide on Aug. 31.
The Riviera Beach Police Department issued a statement to 12 News Sep. 1 saying they will “discontinue employment with Carl Johnson” because the incident was determined to be “criminal in nature.”
During Johnson’s first court appearance Sep. 1, his attorney said Johnson was responding to an assistance call from his sergeant.
Families of the victims in the crash, 43-year-old driver Danielle Bell and 29-year-old passenger Rodneshia Saunders, attended the hearing, according to 12 News. Johnson’s bond amount was set at $100,000, and he was ordered to hand over his passport, have no contact with witnesses or victims, and not to drive.