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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).
According to a criminal complaint referenced by local NBC station WQOW, Johnson was driving a Chevrolet Silverado when it collided with a Subaru SUV carrying two women. The crash resulted 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 disclosed, recounted to police that she and Clark were returning home from a funeral when the accident occurred. She stated that she attempted to evade the Silverado as it veered into her lane but lacked sufficient time to avoid the crash.
Witnesses to the incident supported the SUV driver’s account, telling officers that they believed Johnson appeared to be “clearly drunk” at the time of the collision. This crash marks a severe consequence of Johnson’s repeated offenses, as he has five prior convictions related to operating a vehicle under the influence.
According to the complaint, witnesses corroborated the SUV driver’s version of events. The witnesses also told police they suspected that Johnson was “drunk, it’s clear.”
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.