Sheriff’s Deputy killed when car collides with semi

An absolutely great guy was lost Friday night. Chris always wore a smile and always seemed to be in a great mood. He will be sorely missed and my sympathy goes out to his lovely wife.

Officer Johnson passed me about 1 mile west of Cornlea as i was headed west.....what a tragedy. my thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and all other law enforcement officers....this one really hurts. what a sad loss.

THANK YOU for giving us your ALL....
Deputy Johnson...

My sincerest sympathy to the Sheriff Deputy's family conerning his death. May you feel God's comfort in the days ahead.

Our deepest condolences to the Platte CO SO for the loss of their brother!

Steph and family,
One never knows what to say at a time like this.
Just know that you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Dawn and the entire kitchen
staff and CBM family

Stephanie and Family: Please accept my sympathy for your loss. When your heart is empty, filling it with happy memories can help you find your smile. You and your family are in my thoughts every step of the way.

Sandy
Columbus Police Department
Communications

Words can not describe the feeling of fellow/brother officers at this time. When a brother officer dies in the line of duty, we all feel the loss. Doing our job sometimes will cost us our life, the general public needs to know this ALL of the time, and realize that we are willing to do this. My thoughts and prayers go out to the entire family of Chris, who was taken from us way to early in life. Please find comfort in the happy memories that you will all share in.

Chris was a good guy and a first rate law enforcement officer. I was just joking around with him outside the courthouse a few days ago and it always brightened my day to talk to him, if even just to say hello. He was one of the most cheerful and professional people I've ever known, even when dealing with difficult people. He will be missed greatly. My thoughts and prayers go out to Stephanie and his family. RIP my friend.

It was Sat morn but yes this is terrible makes me realize how tough of a job they have & how they don't get enough praise & respect they deserve.

My deepest sympathy to Steph, Cole and all of his friends and family. My heart is full of saddness for you all.

The Wisner Police Dept. would like to express our deepest sympathy to a fellow officers family.

Terry L. Soden
Chief of Police

I was told Saturday that it happened around 11 at night. I guess I should have read the article before posting. My apologies.

It's hard to know what to say when a former law enforcement officer is lost, but even harder when you know him as well. Chris is a good man with a great family. He will be sorely missed. My condolences to his family during this hard time.

Patrick
Johnson County
Former PC CO

sounds like the truck turned in front of the deputy. Prosecute the dimwit. I hope the deputy had his emergency lights on and wasn't going 95 with no e-lights. Just a terrible tragedy. My sympathy to the family of the deputy and the entire sheriff's department.

Longhaul driver, we don't need comments like that. That truck driver needs prayers too. That is a bad corner turning into cornlea. The officer was probably down in the bottom of the hill responding 10-18 to the injury accident and when the truck driver started turning the officer probably crested the hill. It is TERRIBLE accident, leave it be and pray for the families.

Everyone at the Nance County Sheriff's Dept. want to exprsss Their deepest sympathy for Deputy Johnson's family and to the Platte County Sheriff's Dept. upon their loss they are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Mark Monroe
Chief Deputy
Nance County

I totally agree with Accident...except that if the telegram would have printed the article different then maybe long haul wouldn't have the opinion he does. The semi was turning and the car struck him, NOT the other way around. It's too bad that people make judgments by just the wording of an article being twisted. It would be nice if the telegram had the story straight. My sympathies to all involved

My condolences to the family and the Sheriff's department in this loss. Although I have had limited contact with the Deputy Johnson, he always seemed to be a great guy and a very professional deputy.

Central Community College Security Staff

i agree with terribel tradegy, they should have worded different, many people thought that the semi hit the Deputy, whent thats not what happened. my sympathy to the family.

Condolences and prayers go out to Chris's family, friends, and fellow deputies from the Columbus Police Department.

Greg Sealock
Columbus FOP President

my thoughts and prayers to the family of the police officer.i agree with terrible tradgedy the semi driver was almost threw the intersection when the car hit him the paper has it wrong and yes that is a bad corner

To: terrible tragedy, lives around the area and a.

From the NSP website...

"Deputy Johnson was responding to an injury accident and was eastbound on Highway 91 when his 2006 Chevy Impala Patrol car was struck by a 2000 Freightliner semi trailer truck."

The semi turned in front of the Deputy. Yes that is a bad corner but since when does a vehicle travelling straight have to yield to a turning vehicle?

The Telegram does not have it wrong per se, just not fully reported as it could have been if the truck was almost completely turned on to the side road and it is a bad intersection as one poster said.

God bless each of the persons involved in the accident and their families.

My condolences to his family.

How in the world was the semi almost through the intersection? I came across the accident and the front drivers side of the cruiser took the impact and the front drivers side of the semi took the impact. Would people please quit "assuming" what happened!

my aunt works at the accident records & she said there hasn't been an accident @ this location in the last 5 years, so how is it a "bad corner", sounds pretty safe to me. Yes there is a slight hill, but it's designed for 60 mph, not faster speeds

He was a great person and a model Deputy. Celebrate his life and cherish the memories. Keep him close to your heart and never forget.

Thank you for your service Chris.

Officer Logan Bronson
Columbus Police Department

First and for most, my sympathies to the Johnson Family and the fellow officers who served with him. This is a terrible tragedy and I hope the good memories of Chris help ease the pain in this hard time.

Secondly, people quit your bickering! how or what happened here should not be the issue. The issue is someone has lost the person they love most in this world. Family has lost a loved one and someone lost their daddy. Show a little respect and leave it at that. This is nor the time or place.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time of loss.

Very sorry for your loss. Words cannot express the pain you are feeling, but in time that will all pass as you will get through. Remember all of the good he brought to the world by putting his life on the line everyday to keep us all safe. Blessings to the family.

Butler County Detention Center

As citizens of Platte County, we too want to extend our sympathy. A special hug for his wife. Knowing a few wives of local law enforcement personnel, I know they are very brave ladies.

Such a tragedy and with an unhappy outcome. My sympathy to the family of the deputy. There are eleven deaths everyday involving tractor trailers and two hundred and twenty serious injuries every single day. When I read about a man devoted to the "protection of the public" loosing his life attempting to respond to an injury call, there could not be a more regrettably serious or unpleasant loss to a community.

I agree with a few that have written. This is not the place to discuss what you think you know, or what your sister-in-law that works for the state, which she should also stay out of this, and what you think is the proper speed on that stretch of highway. I have done this job for over 26 years and we can never be right in most of you peoples minds. The fact stands that Chris Johnson was responding to an injury accident. The law allows him to respond at a high rate of speed as I and hundreds of law officers have done. When you are in the accident, you want us there NOW. We still get chewed by you, the public about "taking so long to get there". The other fact is Chris Johnson was doing his job, to protect and SERVE, which means getting to an accident to HELP someone out. This cost him his life. What more do you want out of him??? He made the ultimate sacrifice while serving citizens and has left behind a wife, child, parents and many friends, while you go on and judge the intersection, the speed, the hills and who hit who. His in car camera caught everything, and the chip from the computer will tell exactly what his speed was, both at impact and every 5 second interval for a minute before the accident. There you have it, a short course in the facts. Now leave it alone and help this family out with support, not judgement. If you are the expert you pretend to be, go to the State Patrol and give them your assistance, they will welcome your expert advice. Then come home and say a prayer for every officer out there who will continue to put their life on the line everyday for you, the local citizen, regardless of your judgement of us.

I am going too sit back and simply wait and see what the investigation report from the state patrol says before making any type of remarks or comments and i wish everyone else would too,we must feel for both the deputy and the truck driver.enuf said.

fellow officer AMEN u hit it on the note u tell them. but also just want to say thanks chris for ur wonderful effort you have put into ur job. i never got to meet u but i do believe i was a couple yrs ahead of ur wife in school. and stephanie hugs to ya and colen as well. be strong keep the memories alive hon it may guide u the way give colen a hug for me please and to u both remember u n the families of chris have a very speecial angel watchin over u all im sorry for ur loss god bless R.I.P. chris johnson u will be missed

With all due respect to Fellow Officer. Yours is an attitude that enlightened law enforcement is trying to change. The days of the cowboy riding to the rescue or playing John Wayne the hero are over. Do what is reasonable under the circumstances. That is what is required. Unfortunately, this accident did not help in protecting or serving anyone, even if the law allowed the officer to travel at a speed that we will learn from his car video. His death did nothing to further his mission that Friday night. By the way thank you Cindy for injecting some fact into the discussion.

first off, my prayers go out to EVERYONE involed, semi-driver included.
But i am wondering if you would all feel the same if it was a child that got hit when he came thru Lindsay? There is a crosswalk in town that most parents feel safe to have thier children cross at but if he was speeding thru town, he would not have been able to miss that child. And that child would not even stand a chance with aspeeding car! By the way, how is the semi-driver doing?

this is getting completely ridiculous..Deputy Johnson was on his way to an accident where the person injured had to be life flighted! He was doing everything he could to get there to help the injured person at all costs! he was trying to PROTECT AND SERVE the person who was injured and their family! he died in the line of duty!! just curious but since he didnt get shot or stabbed by a "gang member or drunk" does the mean he didnt die doing what he swore he would do?? which once again is to PROTECT AND SERVE!! so "long haul" who cares if the John Wayne days are over..i certainly hope you dont someday need the assistance of one of these officers who risk their lives to SERVE AND PROTECT your butt! as their family we worry about them no matter what they do and everyone here should remember that he was a great guy doing what he did best..trying to help someone in need!! think about his wife, son, parents, friends, and fellow officers who are in mourning and keep your horrible opinions to yourself! "fellow officer" said it perfectly! they do everything none of you want to and risk their lives everyday, every call, every traffic stop, FOR ALL OF YOU!! we pray everyday that they come home to us! Thank you for serving Deputy Johnson!

With all due respect again, my entire point is doing things "at all costs" is too costly. The officer is dead. I assume the life flight went off without the presence of the deputy. That operation did not depend on his presence. Again my deepest condolences!

It comes down to this. Once again, if you are an officier of the law, you have that golden pass where you can get away with anything and anyone who questions that is the bad guy. Now if this was an accident involving just two citzens then you would not have the backlash against "longhauler." I applaud "longhauler" for asking questions and he does have the right to to look at public records and whatnot. This person pays taxes and so this person has the right to ask the hard questions and whatnot. It is just like all these "law enforcement" groupies or what not to try and belittle this person. Keep asking the questions "longhauler" because you deserve to voice your opinion and ask for answers.

Long hauler...now would be the time to keep any more asinine comments to yourself. You have no idea what these officers go through everyday to protect and serve. When you have to strap on a bulletproof vest to go to work, maybe then your opinions on the matter might hold more clout. When you have responded to an injury accident or any other number of situations where any extra help and precious seconds made the difference, then let us know what you think. But until you've done this line of work or know someone well who has, try not to make anymore public judgements.
Please, please, please try to keep all future comments on this post to condolences-its too hard for family and friends to have to read through the speculations which are more often than not incorrect and often insensitive.
To Steph, Cole, PCSO and the Johnson family and friends our deepest sympathy. Chris truly was one of the good guys and is already greatly missed. He was a friend to all who met him. He was the nicest, most decent guy, on duty or off and alway had that huge smile on his face. We will continue to keep you in our prayers.

Just for the record. Whoever calls 911 cant tell a dispatcher to dispatch life flight. Law enforcement and emergency personnel can. So if you get in an accident, and you're hurt, I want you to think to yourself: Do I want the professionals that are coming to help me to get here as quick as they can, or do I want them to drive 60 miles an hour because I don't want them to put themselves in harms way. For that matter, if anything has happened where you get hurt, just think about whether you want the people coming to help you to take their time, or get their fast. Don't criticize a good man for doing his job, even if you do think he was going "too" fast, he's the only one that won't be going home after this, and he does not deserve your criticism.

Well Ugh, thank you for backing off from the "at all costs" standard of Fellow Officer. Your "in harms way" standard is more reasonable. I believe that is why emergency vehicles are festooned with lights and sirens. To alert others so that THEY can stay out of harm's way. Also Ugh my understanding of the facts is that the decision had been already for Life Flight. Likely made by the EMT's and other medical responders on the scene. By the way the last thing I want when I get hurt is for one or any of the responders to be hurt (or killed). If 60 MPH gets them to me, so be it. They do me absolutely no good hurt or injured.

Condolences only? This is a news story, not an obituary. We can make whatever comments we would like, and no one is forcing you to read them. Long Hauler was nothing but polite, and made thoughtful comments.

Prayers and thoughts from Douglas County. Although not an Officer of the Law my thanks and utmost esteem go to you who are. To the Deputy's Wife, Family and Fellow Officers...God Speed. May the Road Rise to Meet You and You always be safe.......Being from Madison / Platte county, I still feel the loss, although not there to live or support. Hope the Words make a difference. And God Bless You Long Haul.....You may also need it at some point. And quicker than you might know. Be Still......

I didn't know Mr.Johnson, but from the comments it sounds as though he was a true family man and a great guy. Most of all he did what he loved doing...serving and protecting the community. THANK YOU officer Johnson and all law enforcement. Rest In Peace.

PLEASE FOR THE SAKE OF DEPUTY JOHNSON'S FAMILY LETS END ALL OF THE SPECULATIONS. CHRIS WAS A GREAT GUY NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT AND WAS DOING HIS JOB OF PROTECTING AND SERVING. HE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED AND PCSO HAS LOST A GREAT DEPUTY. MY SYMPATHY TO STEPH AND COLE.

WOW!! I have read each and every entry here and may I say some of you should be ashamed of yourself. This man was doing what he felt was necessary, just as many of you are speaking as you feel necessary. The difference is he was doing it to try to better a tragic situation. How are some of your negative words and opinions bettering this situation? We all make mistakes, that's what makes us human. And just as you all feel you have a right to express yourself in anyway you feel fit.... so did he. I'll say something we all sadly know... this bickering will not bring him back. I just want to say thank you and God bless you Chris for everything you did for us. Forgive us for being shelfish in this time when prayers and love is what is needed most. And for those who belive.... Ephesians 4:29 gave some helpful words.....
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
I'm truly sorry for the loss of such a wonderful person. God bless all those involved.

longhaul, you are somewhat right and I am not judging you for that. All cops have medical training, alot are EMT's, and some are even Paramedics. They are sent to the scene to provide quick resonse medical care. You have obviously never had any medical training and have not heard of the "golden half hour". That is the time that is imparative that medical treatment start in order to beat the odds. It usually takes the ambulance alot of time to get to the scene, since most are a volunteer dept, when an Officer can be there sometimes within minutes. Time is of the essence so we sometimes do "push it." I can't beleive the person that wrote in about her kids in Lindsay, I don't think anyone would be driving fast through her prescious little town and hurt her little kids crossing the highway. Every cops drives with due regard for the people around them when going through towns like Lindsay. It is a tragic situation, a complete investigation will be done and we will have to live with the outcome of that investigation. I would expect a large funeral tomorrow morning in Columbus and I hope that is the case. Everyone that has posted here, needs to show respect to the Johnson family and stand behind both them, and the driver of the semi, as this will be on his mind for the rest of his life.

AMEN TO FELLOW OFFICER---NOW LETS END IT WITH ALL OF THIS AND GIVE THE JOHNSON FAMILY, PCSO EMPLOYEES AND THE MANY MANY FRIENDS THAT CHRIS HAD OUR RESPECT. I WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR SMILE CHRIS!!!! YOU WERE SOMEONE VERY SPECIAL AND WE WILL ALL MISS YOU.