PAWNEE, Oklahoma -- Pawnee residents are mourning the death of Pawnee County Undersheriff Monty Johnson,63, of Terlton who was killed in a motor vehicle wreck Thursday morning.
Johnson was a life-long Pawnee County resident and a long-time member of the county’s Sheriff’s department, the Cleveland American reported.
The City of Pawnee announced a prayer vigil would be held at the Pawnee County Courthouse Thursday evening to honor Johnson and pray for him and his family.
Law enforcement organizations and community members expressed their condolences via social media throughout the day. The Mayor of Lone Chimney, a nearby settlement, announced he had lowered the flags at his town hall to half staff on behalf of town officials and the community.
“I want his family and friends to know that we are saddened by this tragedy and we will have them in our prayers,” Mayor James Harwick wrote.
The collision occurred about four miles south of Pawnee at around 6:30 a.m. when a pick-up driven by Alexander W. Pummill, 30, of Cleveland, struck Johnson’s patrol car head-on. Johnson was driving north on state Highway 18, north of the Cimarron Turnpike. Pawnee County Sheriff Mike Waters told KWTV that he was headed to pick up a co-worker on the way to a training.
The driver of the pick-up appeared to have run off the road and over-corrected, sending his truck across the center line, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. James Loftis told KWTV.
Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene from whole body injuries.
The driver of the pick-up sustained non life-threatening but incapacitating whole body injuries, including a broken leg, and was taken by Pawnee Fire/EMS to Stillwater Medical Center, where he was admitted in stable condition, according to a release from OHP.
Loftis told KWTV that Pummill was cooperating with investigators and consented to have his blood tested.
OHP continues to investigate the collision.
Twitter: @mcharlesNP
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