Clinton Earl Johnson Jr Arrested; – A Texas man has been apprehended following allegations that he instructed a 10-year-old girl to operate his pickup truck, leading to the tragic death of a 6-year-old boy. Clinton Earl Johnson Jr., aged 31, was taken into custody by the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, with the incident occurring on Sunday.
As detailed in an arrest affidavit acquired by KTRE, Johnson directed the girl to move his Nissan Titan pickup truck after she expressed that it obstructed her path while she was riding a tricycle. During the process of moving the vehicle, the girl lost control and inadvertently crashed it into a porch, striking a 6-year-old boy who later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
The deceased child was identified as Johnson’s stepson. The boy’s mother informed investigators that her son was seated on the porch using her phone while Johnson was engaged in grilling. She recounted that the 10-year-old girl, riding her tricycle, indicated that the pickup truck was in her way, to which Johnson responded by instructing her to ‘scoot it up.’ The affidavit also noted that Johnson claimed the girl had previously driven the pickup on backroads.
Investigators detected the odor of alcohol from both the mother and Johnson, who admitted to consuming three to four drinks each while grilling, as per the affidavit. Johnson faces charges of state jail felony criminally negligent homicide, with his bond status yet to be determined.
