Former Riviera Beach police officer convicted of double vehicular homicide

A former Riviera Beach police officer was convicted of two counts of vehicular homicide while driving a cruiser in a crash in 2023.On Thursday, a six-person jury found 35-year-old Carl Johnson guilty of driving at extreme speeds when he crashed his patrol car and killed two people in the city on June 18, 2023, which was Father's Day.Circuit Court Judge Howard Coates set a sentencing hearing for July 7.The trial lasted four days.The driver of the other vehicle, 43-year-old Danielle Belle, and her front-seat passenger, 29-year-old Rodneisha Saunders, died from injuries sustained in the crash. Saunders, a Riviera Beach resident, was the registered owner.That crash was reported at 1:03 a.m. Driving a 2022 Dodge Charger, Johnson had turned right onto Australian Avenue from Blue Heron Boulevard and accelerated to 94 mph --with the speed limit 35 mph -- without activating his emergency lights or siren, according to the arrest report.Johnson continued driving without slowing for a railroad crossing and was “violently jarred up and down," according to the arrest report. It was a "quasi-residential area" with multiple side streets and entranceways onto Australian Avenue.As Johnson traveled southbound, he passed one oncoming vehicle and was approaching at least three other oncoming vehicles.A 2019 Hyundai Genesis had been traveling northbound in the left turning lane as he approached West 13th Street. As the Charger was crossing the railroad tracks and nearing West 13th Street, the Hyundai had begun turning left to travel west on West 13th Street.Both vehicles had solid green signals as they entered the intersection.During the crash, the Charger violently went into the right side of the Hyundai, which hit a light pole and caused it to overturn. The occupants were deceased at the scene.Johnson was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center with critical injuries.The case was investigated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office because he was a member of the city's police department. Also, Johnson's mugshot doesn't appear in the PBSO jail website.The in-car video from the cruiser depicted the high speeds. Also, the patrol car’s event data recorder showed Johnson was driving 94 mph five seconds before the crash.Johnson was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail in September after his arrest.The police department issued a statement after his arrest: "Committed to maintaining the utmost standards of integrity, the Riviera Beach Police Department acknowledges the conclusion of the investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office into the vehicle crash involving Officer Carl Johnson. The incident has been determined to be criminal in nature, resulting in charges against him. Dedicated to upholding the highest standards and preserving public trust, the Riviera Beach Police Department will discontinue employment with Carl Johnson. Our sympathies go out to the families impacted by this incident, and we extend our sincere condolences."