Johnson was not merely disciplined internally or quietly allowed to move on. A special grand jury indicted him in July 2022 on two felony counts of involuntary manslaughter, along with misdemeanor charges of failure to yield the right of way and reckless driving. WTVR reported that the indictments came after the deadly crash involving Ruffin and Williams.
At trial, prosecutors argued Johnson’s driving showed gross negligence and reckless disregard for human life. Reporting from the sentencing later noted that Johnson had his lights and sirens activated, but was still traveling nearly 25 mph over the speed limit when the collision occurred. Prosecutors also said he did not slow down or brake before entering the red-light intersection.
The defense argued the crash was unavoidable and that Johnson was acting within the scope of his duties while responding to a high-priority call. The defense also pointed to Ruffin driving without a license, traveling slightly over the speed limit, and the fact that Ruffin and Williams were not wearing seat belts. But those arguments did not stop the jury from convicting Johnson.
On April 25, 2023, after a two-day trial and a little more than two hours of deliberation, a jury found Johnson guilty of two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving. WTVR reported that Johnson faced up to 21 years in prison after the verdict.
The sentence, however, was far lighter than the maximum. On September 22, 2023, Johnson received a sentence of more than 20 years, but all except six months was suspended. Instead of years in prison, he was ordered to serve six months of home electronic incarceration and lost his driver’s license indefinitely, according to NBC12.
The families also pursued civil accountability. Tracey Williams’ mother, Tiara Williams-Hill, sued Johnson and the City of Richmond for $200 million, and NBC12 reported that the case settled for $3.1 million. Jeremiah Ruffin’s mother, Candice Ruffin, also filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging negligence by Johnson and the department, according to WTVR.
This case is a reminder that police driving can be deadly even when no gun is fired. Johnson’s badge did not prevent the crash, and the emergency nature of the call did not erase the legal consequences of driving a police vehicle through a red light at a dangerous speed. Jeremiah Ruffin and Tracey Williams were teenagers with their lives ahead of them. Their deaths were not treated as a simple traffic accident. A jury found the officer behind the wheel criminally responsible.
Case Summary
- Officer: Richard Daniel Johnson
- Department: Richmond Police Department, Virginia
- Victims: Jeremiah Ruffin, 18, and Tracey Williams, 19
- Date of crash: April 7, 2022
- Location: Bells Road and Castlewood Road, Richmond, Virginia
- Criminal result: Guilty of two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving
- Sentence: More than 20 years imposed, all but six months suspended; six months of home electronic incarceration; indefinite loss of driver’s license
Sources: WTVR CBS 6, NBC12 / 12 On Your Side
