A Sheriff’s deputy in Richmond County has resigned after he was involved in a single-vehicle crash and he was subjected to a drug test earlier this month.
The sheriff’s office said Deputy Vernon Johnson got into an accident in his 2013 Dodge Charger patrol car around 5 p.m. on February 6.
News of his resignation came on February 18.
Johnson was heading north on State Route 83 when the car hydroplaned in heavy rain, and he reportedly lost control of the vehicle. Hydroplaning refers to uncontrollable sliding on a wet road.
The authorities say the car left the right side of the road, hit a culvert and went into the air for as many as 15 feet before it came to a rest in a ditch. The car sustained damage to both the front and rear.
Johnson was taken to Navicent Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.
He was screened for drugs after the crash as is protocol. When the sheriff’s office got the results, the deputy was asked to meet with internal affairs for an interview. However, the sheriff’s office said he quit before the interview could take place.
The accident happened in Jasper County. It is being investigated by the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) since it happened outside Richmond County’s jurisdiction.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office can’t comment on the results of Johnson’s drug screening since this information is protected under HIPAA and the GA Open Records Act.
The office declined to make any further information available.
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