A man from Lufkin, Texas, is facing a charge of criminally negligent homicide after he reportedly asked a 10-year-old girl to move his pickup truck on Sunday, resulting in a deadly crash. While driving the vehicle, the girl struck a porch with a 6-year-old boy on it, leading to his death as reported by local ABC affiliate KTRE TV. 

Clinton Earl Johnson Jr., 31, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the incident, which occurred while he and his family were grilling. According to a document from the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office obtained by KTRE, Johnson’s 6-year-old stepson was looking at a cellphone on the porch while the 10-year-old girl was riding her tricycle around the driveway. 

At one point, the girl complained that Johnson’s truck was blocking her path, prompting him to allegedly tell her to “scoot it up,” according to an arrest document from CBS 19. Johnson later told investigators that the girl had driven on backroads before, according to KYTX TV. However, the boy’s mother informed the sheriff’s department that when her daughter was behind the wheel, she “got confused” and hit the gas, causing the truck to crash into the porch, KTRE reported.

When deputies from the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office arrived, they discovered several boards and poles scattered on the ground, along with Johnson’s stepson lying in front of the truck. The boy was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Deputies noted that they detected the smell of alcohol on both Johnson and the boy’s mother, who allegedly admitted to having three or four drinks each. On Tuesday, Johnson was taken to the Angelina County Jail and charged with state jail felony criminally negligent homicide. He was later released after posting a $3,000 bond.

#Clique, what are your thoughts?