Lynchburg Police say man who caused deadly crash was drunk

By Carrie J. Sidener, Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: February 5, 2008

A toxicology test shows a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit in the driver who police say lost control of his car on Fort Avenue in December, killing an Evington couple and himself in the crash.
The medical examiner’s office has completed its toxicology report on Herbert James from the Dec. 29 crash, said Officer Ronnie Sitler.
“He had a very high level of alcohol in his system,” Sitler said.
The legal limit for blood alcohol content is .08 percent. Sitler said the exact results will not be released because an investigation is ongoing.
Police had suspected from the beginning that alcohol was involved, Sitler said.
James, of Lynchburg, had been convicted twice before for driving while intoxicated — once in Bedford and once in Lynchburg.
His driver’s license was suspended at the time of the wreck. He had been convicted of driving on a suspended license for the third time, two months before the crash.
James and the driver and passenger of the vehicle he hit, James and Ashley Johnson, died as a result of crash. The only survivor was the Johnson’s 17-month-old daughter, Brihanna.
James was driving a Pontiac Grand Prix north on Fort Avenue at a high rate of speed shortly before 2 a.m. He swerved to avoid a car stopped in the left lane to make a turn and lost control of his car, swerving over the double yellow line and hitting the Johnsons’ 1993 Pontiac Grand Am head on.
Both car burst into flames.
James, 27 of Lynchburg, and Ashley Johnson, 21 of Evington, both died at the scene. James Johnson, 35, died later at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Speed was also a factor in the crash, Sitler said.
The Johnsons were driving back from Lynchburg General Hospital where they had taken Brihanna because they suspected she had pink eye. She was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital, and then transferred to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for observation.

A trust fund has been set up at BB&T for Brihanna Nicole Johnson. Donations can be made at any branch.
“Drunk driving … is the leading cause of death for young people ages 16 to 24,” Sitler said. “It’s not that we are adamant that people not drink. We are adamant that people don’t drive. Once you take your first drink, you can’t make a conscious decision not to drive. Make that decision before you take your first drink because if we catch you, you will be arrested.”
The Lynchburg Police Department’s traffic safety unit asks that anyone with information call the department at (434) 455-6047 or Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900.