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| Deputy Sheriff Jason Garner (left) and Community Service Officer Raschel Johnson (right) were killed in a fiery crash Saturday morning in Modesto. |
Speeding Sheriff's Deputy Jason Garner, 41, and community service officer Raschel Johnson, 42, killed when their car caught fire after failed to negotiate a curve and crashed into an auto wreckage business in Modesto, CA
Courtesy: Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department
MODESTO, Calif. (KCRA) —
A Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputy and community service officer were killed Saturday morning in a fiery crash in Modesto.
Deputy Jason Garner, 41, and community service officer Raschel Johnson, 42, were killed after their car crashed near Crows Landing Road and Seventh Street, the California Highway Patrol said.
Speeding Sheriff's Deputy Jason Garner, 41, and community service officer Raschel Johnson, 42, killed when their car caught fire after failed to negotiate a curve and crashed into an auto wreckage business in Modesto, CA
The pair were responding to a prior burglary call about 8:19 a.m. that was not in progress when for an “unknown reason the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a building,” the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department said.
Their car caught fire after hitting an auto wreckage business, the CHP said.
Garner worked with the Stanislaus Sheriff’s Department for nine years and six months. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Johnson worked with the department for 15 years and five months. She was a community service officer for eight years. She is survived by her mother, father and three children.
“We are a big department, but we are still small enough where all know each other. So, it’s definitely – it’s hard. You know, we had a deputy killed just six months ago and it seems like we’re still healing from that tragic loss. And now, we’re dealing with another, in this case, two. So, it’s definitely hard. It’s still probably a shock, I think, to a lot of us,” Deputy Royjindar Singh said.
"Our hearts are broken and we pray for Deputy Garner's family, Community Service Officer Johnson's family, and all the members of our department who are dealing with another tragic loss," the department said on their Facebook page. Of course they should not be speeding; they failed to do that and it costed their lives.
Gov. Jerry Brown released a statement Saturday afternoon extending condolences.
"Anne and I were deeply saddened to learn of the collision that resulted in the tragic deaths of Deputy Garner and Community Service Officer Johnson this morning. Both were dedicated public servants who devoted their careers to keeping the people of Stanislaus County safe. We extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends and coworkers," Brown said. Of course, the Californians love the speeding cars and that is why they have one of the highest death and injury rates in the nation.
Brown said the Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff in honor of Deputy Garner and Community Service Officer Johnson.
Six months ago Saturday, the Sheriff's Department was mourning the death of Deputy Dennis Wallace who was shot and killed.
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Lt. Marc Nuno was in Washington at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial honoring Wallace when he learned about the deadly crash.
"I'm here to remember Deputy Dennis Wallace who lost his life on Nov. 13, 2016, and I'm also here unfortunately because today we lost another deputy while being here in a vehicle accident. That would be Jason Garner, and a CSO that was also with him, Raschel Johnson, so it's even twice as tragic for us right now," Nuno said.The crash is being investigated by the CHP's Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team from Fresno.
It is obvious that the SUV was speeding and failed to negotiate the curve in front of the auto wrecker's building. It end up crashing and bursting into flames, killing both of them.