A possibility of bond modification is under consideration for Jaden Johnson, the man charged with manslaughter in connection to a 2023 fatal crash.
Public defender Eric Bearden represents Johnson and made the plea for bond modification, saying his client would be staying with family and would abide by any conditions set down by the court should he be released from custody. He also contends that there remain some arguments about the crash that happened on Bill Bryan Boulevard that resulted in the death of 34-year-old Adrian Tucker.
Special prosecutor Clayton Adams argued that Johnson has already entered a guilty plea on separate offenses, including assault—and those charges occurred after the fatal crash—so he finds the bond appropriate.
Johnson’s bond is currently set at $100,000, and there’s also remains questions about another possible assault charge out of Davidson County, Tennessee. Judge John Atkins refrained from ruling on the bond motion in court Wednesday, in order for information on that and then presented in to the court within the next two weeks.Â
Johnson is set to go to trial on May 22—he is second-degree manslaughter in the crash. Investigation determined that the vehicle Tucker was operating had been pulling out of a parking lot onto Bill Bryan Boulevard when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Johnson.
The Hopkinsville Police Department reported to Johnson had been operating the vehicle at speeds of around 90 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour speed zone. Tucker had to be extricated from his vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Johnson himself was also badly injured in the crash, as were two others.