WDRB reports Wednesday night that Kentucky State Rep. Dan Johnson, who was under investigation for alleged sexual molestation, was found dead Wednesday of a “probable suicide.”
Breaking news out of Kentucky – State Rep. Dan Johnson who was under investigation for allegedly molesting a teenage girl commits suicide.
Johnson defiantly refused to resign after the allegations. https://t.co/AmZcCZylNz— Shawn Reynolds (@ShawnReynolds_) December 14, 2017
Kentucky State Rep. Dan Johnson has committed suicide on a bridge in Mt. Washington: https://t.co/fHE401L9C1 pic.twitter.com/g3VTALmy7W
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) December 14, 2017
Bullitt County sheriff says Rep. Dan Johnson shot and killed himself. It happened on Greenwell Ford Road. His body was found on the bridge.
— Jason Riley (@JasonRileyWDRB) December 14, 2017
.@bullittsheriff says Rep. Dan Johnson drove on the bridge on Greenwell Ford Road, parked on the north side of it and got in front of his car and shot himself. His body was found on the bank, just past the bridge.
— Valerie Chinn WDRB (@ValerieChinn) December 14, 2017
On Tuesday, Johnson held a press conference at his church on Bardstown Road, where he denied the molestation allegations. According to court documents obtained by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, the alleged molestation took place on New Year’s Eve in 2012. The alleged victim, who was 17 at the time, told authorities that she was staying in a living area of the Heart of Fire City Church where Johnson was pastor, when Johnson, who had been drinking a lot, approached her, kissed her and fondled her under her clothes.
Kentucky state lawmaker accused of molesting 17-year-old girl: report https://t.co/F6TWnoYn4J pic.twitter.com/g5Ixoo5uWq
— The Hill (@thehill) December 11, 2017
Police were alerted after seeing a Facebook post by Johnson in which he wrote, “The accusations from NPR are false GOD and only GOD knows the truth, nothing is the way they make it out to be. AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news.”
Rep. Dan Johnson posted this Facebook message before he committed suicide pic.twitter.com/AhndFfqnXn
— Jason Riley (@JasonRileyWDRB) December 14, 2017
Gov. Matt Bevin responded:
Saddened to hear of tonight’s death of KY Representative Dan Johnson…My heart breaks for his family tonight…These are heavy days in Frankfort and in America…May God indeed shed His grace on us all…We sure need it…
— Governor Matt Bevin (@GovMattBevin) December 14, 2017
Wesley Morgan, a colleague of Johnson’s, lashed out at both parties and the media.
https://twitter.com/WesleyMorganKY/status/941122132532236289
This is a sad end to a very troubling story. “GOP State Rep Commits Suicide After Denying Sexual Misconduct Allegations” https://t.co/XaDO9oAaPt via @mediaite
— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) December 14, 2017
Johnson had not been criminally charged.
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