Firefighter Timothy L. Johnson, 41, was indicted by an Ottawa County grand jury on one count each of aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault, felonies of the third and fourth degree, respectively. FF Johnson was traveling 96 mph around 2300 hours July 16 just before he crashed into another vehicle, killing passenger Ian Hoffman, 24.
Johnson, a volunteer firefighter with the Portage Fire District, received a call to assist Allen-Clay firefighters on a fire at a Clay Center recreation center. That call came in at 2256 Hours as area firefighters were tied up at another unrelated fire in Clay Center at the time.
An Ohio Highway Patrol investigation concluded Johnson had no time to stop or avoid a collision as he traveled north on Ohio 19. The crash report says Olivia Duty, 20, was driving west on Oak Harbor Southeast Road when she stopped at Ohio 19, turned north, then slowed to turn left onto Oak Harbor Southeast Road.
Johnson’s truck struck the rear driver’s side of the Protege before going off the road and striking a tree. The Protege left the road and came to rest in a nearby field. When a trooper asked one witness what Duty could have done to avoid the crash, he said there was nothing to do.
"Nothing," said Ryan Goldstein. "I don’t even think she saw it coming."
Another witness told troopers he estimated Johnson to be going 80 or 90 as he passed a nearby residence on Ohio 19. That witness said he heard no tires squealing before the crash. Johnson told a trooper investigating that he was speeding, but using caution. "Probably about 70 mph," Johnson said.
He told the investigator he swerved to avoid the Protege and that was it, the reports said. Johnson told investigators he has been a firefighter for more than 10 years. Johnson was issued a summons and is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court Nov. 22 at 9 a.m.
If convicted on both charges, Johnson faces up to 6 1/2 years in prison and $15,000 in fines.
