The man accused in the Tuesday morning crash that killed a crossing guard appeared before a Pinellas County judge today.
Julious Johnson, 28, was in a wheelchair at his first appearance Wednesday. The State referred to him as a known drug dealer and listed off his prior arrests.
Johnson’s aunt asked the judge to be sure his injuries were cared for and seemed remorseful for what had happened.
“I know we can’t turn back the hands of time,” said Kim Johnson.
A judge set Johnson's bond at $481,000.
According to Clearwater police, Johnson was driving a black Cadillac west on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard at a high rate of speed around 9 a.m. and ran a red light at Belcher Road.
The Cadillac collided with a Honda that was traveling in the opposite direction and turning north onto Belcher Road. That caused the Cadillac to leave the road and strike crossing guard and retired police officer Doug Carey, who was standing near a concrete pillar at the sidewalk adjacent to the intersection.
Carey, 70, was a Clearwater officer from 1968 through 1987 and has worked as a crossing guard for the last few years. He was well established in the community and had a wife and adult children.
Johnson's daughters, ages 2 and 4, were riding in the Cadillac, and the older girl was ejected. The older girl has multiple fractures and a possible head injury, and the younger suffered minor injuries.
Johnson got out of the car, handed the younger child to a stranger, saying "please take care of my child," and fled the scene, Clearwater Police Chief Anthony Holloway said.
Johnson was captured a short distance away in the parking lot of an Albertsons grocery store. He faces charges of leaving the scene of a crash causing death, aggravated child neglect, driving on a revoked or suspended license and other crimes. Officials said they found drugs on Johnson when he was taken into custody.
Holloway said Johnson has a lengthy record that includes some 17 arrests since 2005. He told detectives he fled because he was driving on a suspended license.