Background: The intersection of Highway 93 and Severson Road in Wisconsin”s Eau Claire County (Google Maps). Inset: Kirk Johnson (Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office).
Forty-six-year-old Kirk Johnson has been charged with vehicular homicide while intoxicated following a tragic incident in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, over the weekend. As detailed in a criminal complaint accessed by NBC affiliate WQOW, Johnson was driving a Chevrolet Silverado when he crashed into a Subaru SUV occupied by two women, resulting in the death of 56-year-old Kimberly Clark.
Authorities reported finding Clark unconscious in the front passenger seat of the SUV, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The SUV’s driver, whose identity has not been released, informed officers that they were returning from a funeral when the collision occurred. She recounted that the Silverado veered into their lane, and despite attempting to avoid it, she couldn’t avert the crash in time.
The criminal complaint states that eyewitnesses confirmed the account provided by the SUV’s driver. They also mentioned to the police that Johnson appeared to be “clearly drunk” at the time.
Upon being questioned at the scene, Johnson admitted to consuming one or two beers several hours before the collision. However, officers noted that he exhibited clear signs of intoxication during a field sobriety test. A subsequent breathalyzer test allegedly indicated a blood alcohol level of 0.207, over twice the legal limit.
Johnson was questioned by police at the scene, where he claimed he had one or two beers several hours before the crash. Police said he showed significant signs of impairment during a field sobriety test. A breath test allegedly revealed that Johnson had a 0.207 blood alcohol content, more than two times the legal limit.
WQOW reported that Johnson has five previous convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated going back to June 2000. His most recent conviction was in 2019.
Johnson was charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. He is currently in custody at the Eau Claire County Jail, where he is being held on $100,000 cash bond with conditions. His next court date is scheduled for June 15.
