Clinton Earl Johnson Jr. (Angelina County Jail).
In Texas, a man was jailed after his 10-year-old daughter, directed by him, drove his truck and accidentally hit and killed his 6-year-old stepson, reported the police.
According to jail records, 31-year-old Clinton Earl Johnson Jr. faces charges of criminal negligent homicide following the tragic incident on Sunday afternoon in Lufkin, located in eastern Texas. An arrest affidavit, as reported by KTRE, a local ABC station, states that Johnson and his family were outside enjoying a barbecue. The daughter was riding a tricycle, while the stepson was occupied with his mother’s phone on the porch.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
An investigation revealed the girl’s mother said Johnson instructed the girl to move the truck, which was blocking her tricycle path. The mother reportedly claimed the girl “got confused and hit the gas,” leading the vehicle to crash into the porch. When Angelina County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, they discovered debris scattered on the ground, including boards and poles.
The boy also was on the ground in front of the pickup truck.
More from Law&Crime: ‘The signs of life were ignored’: Driver slammed car into horse stables at 120 mph, killing 2 boys playing with toy trucks
Paramedics rushed the boy, who has not been publicly identified, to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Johnson reportedly told cops that the girl has driven the truck on back roads before. Deputies also could reportedly smell alcohol on Johnson and the mother and they admitted to having three or four drinks each.
Cops took Johnson to the Angelina County Jail where he has since posted a $3,000 bond. It’s unclear if he has obtained an attorney or when he is next scheduled to appear in court.
