ALBANY, Ore. — The Albany community is in mourning after the tragic loss of Pastor Dennis Johnson, a man some regarded as the heart of their community. Johnson was killed on June 12 in a devastating crash involving a suspected drunk driver.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office reported that 69-year-old Johnson was driving with his wife around 7:30 p.m. when their SUV was struck by a speeding truck. The driver of the truck, 32-year-old Cole Russell Allen, has been charged with multiple offenses, including Manslaughter I, Assault III, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and Criminal Mischief II — according to court records.
Court records also show that Allen has previously been charged with DUII and Reckless Driving.
“We’re really shocked. It’s still really hard to accept. I don’t understand. None of us understand,” said Mercedes Sargeant, a member of the church. “We’re trying to — we want to be happy for him because we know he’s in a better place, but he has such a big family.”
The crash occurred at the intersection of Lacomb Drive and Bond Road near Lebanon, leaving visible marks of the crash. Power lines fell onto both vehicles, causing electricity and internet outages in the surrounding area. Johnson died at the scene of the crash, while his wife is now back home from the hospital, recovering from her injuries with her family…