RIVIERA BEACH — Former Riviera Beach Police officer Carl Rashad Johnson was sentenced to 18.5 years in prison on July 7, 2026, following his conviction on two counts of vehicular manslaughter. The charges stemmed from a June 2023 crash that killed Danielle Bell, 43, and Rodneshia Saunders, 29.

Johnson was driving a marked police cruiser at 90 mph when he collided with the victims’ vehicle, according to court records. Vehicle data retrieved after the crash showed he was traveling at 94 mph moments before impact in a zone with a 35 mph speed limit. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigation found that Johnson did not have his emergency lights or sirens activated at the time of the crash.

Johnson’s conviction came in April 2026 after a trial that examined the circumstances of the high-speed collision. During his first court appearance in September 2023, his attorney stated Johnson was responding to an assistance call from his sergeant, though no emergency equipment was in use during the incident.

Why It Matters

Vehicular manslaughter cases involving law enforcement officers raise distinct legal and public safety considerations, particularly when emergency protocols are not followed. Research dating back to a 2004 study in Environmental Health Perspectives has described traffic-related fatalities as a persistent public health concern, while forensic literature, including a 2020 case review in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, notes the complexities in distinguishing between accident, negligence, and intent in such incidents.