A Palm Beach County jury on Thursday found former Riviera Beach police officer Carl Rashad Johnson guilty of two counts of vehicular homicide for a high-speed crash that killed two people early on June 18, 2023. Prosecutors said Johnson, 35, was on duty when his department-issued Dodge Charger patrol car slammed into a 2019 Hyundai Genesis G80 on Australian Avenue. He now heads to a sentencing hearing next month.
The guilty verdict was first reported by WPTV, which noted that prosecutors tied Johnson to extreme speeds and a failure to use emergency lights or sirens in the moments before the collision. WPTV identified the victims as Danielle Bell, 43, and Rodneshia Saunders, 29, and reported that Johnson was knocked unconscious in the wreck and later arrested. The station added that Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Dash-cam And Cruiser Data
Jurors did not have to guess how fast Johnson was going. Prosecutors leaned on in-car video and the Charger’s data recorder to show the patrol car barreling down Australian Avenue at freeway speeds on a city street. The vehicle data recorder registered about 94 mph just five seconds before impact, according to WPBF. Investigators told the station that Johnson failed to slow for a clearly marked railroad crossing and was driving at roughly three times the posted 35 mph limit. Reports say he did not have his emergency lights or siren activated at the time of the crash.
The Victims And Their Memorials
As reported by WPTV, the two people killed in the collision were Danielle Bell and Rodneshia Saunders. Local funeral-home notices confirm services for both women. Bell & Clark Funeral Home lists arrangements for Bell, and a Stevens Brothers notice carries Saunders’ obituary. Family members had not issued public comments in the media about the verdict as of publication.
Department Review And City Response
The Riviera Beach Police Department turned the criminal investigation over to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and later fired Johnson, according to WPBF. The city posted an initial June 18, 2023 news release about the crash on its website, which lists the police department’s main office at 600 West Blue Heron Blvd. City officials had not posted a new statement tied to Thursday’s verdict at the time of reporting.
Legal Context
Under Florida law, “vehicular homicide” is defined as the killing of a person through operation of a motor vehicle in a reckless manner and is generally charged as a second-degree felony. The statute also preserves the right to pursue civil damages for deaths that fall under the provision, according to Section 782.071 of the Florida Statutes. The law points judges to state sentencing guidelines that will apply at disposition and, in some cases, allows courts to order community service at trauma centers as part of a sentence. Florida Statutes
Johnson is set to return to court for sentencing on July 7 at 1:30 p.m., when the judge will decide his punishment and any restitution. The conviction is likely to renew scrutiny of departmental pursuit and driving policies, along with possible civil claims tied to the deadly Father’s Day crash. We will monitor court filings and official statements and update this story as new documents or comments become available.
