DANGER. A BUS DRIVER CHARGED FOR A CRASH THAT KILLED A WOMAN CROSSING THE STREET IN DOWNTOWN
DETROIT.
>> AS THE JUDGE REVEALED HER
SHOCKING RECORD BEHIND THE
WHEEL. THE JUDGE IN THE CASE
SAYS GERALDINE JOHNSON HAS BEEN
INVOLVED IN SEVEN CRASHES SINCE
2018. AND THOSE INVOLVED BOTH
THE BUS AND HER PERSONAL CAR AS
WELL. GLAD YOU’RE WITH US FOR
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT FIVE. I’M DEVIN
SCILLIAN. AND I’M CHRISTY
MCDONALD IN FOR KIMBERLY GILL.
>> JOHNSON APPEARED IN COURT TO
BE ARRAIGNED LATE THIS AFTERNOON
FOR A DEADLY CRASH BACK ON JUNE
2ND. IT HAPPENED AT THE CORNER
OF GRISWOLD IN CONGRESS, RIGHT
IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT
. SO LET’S GET TO SHAWN LEY, WHO
IS LIVE FOR US TONIGHT. SHAWN, I
MEAN, SEVEN, THAT NUMBER IS
TROUBLING. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT
THE MAGISTRATE JUST SAID LATE
TODAY IN COURT.
>> EXTREMELY TROUBLING. HERE’S
THE CROSSWALK RIGHT HERE. YOU
CAN SEE THE CROSSWALK FOR
PEDESTRIANS. AND THIS WAS SHE
WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
CROSSWALK. THE VICTIM HERE, IT’S
UNCLEAR. SHE HAD THE RIGHT OF
WAY. THE DRIVER APPARENTLY
RUNNING A STOP SIGN. HOW SHE DID
NOT SEE THIS WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE CROSSWALK AND RAN OVER
HER. THIS IS THIS DRIVER’S
SECOND FATAL ACCIDENT BEHIND THE
WHEEL OF A BUS. YOU MENTIONED A
LONG LIST OF ACCIDENTS, EITHER
BUS OR PERSONAL VEHICLE REVEALED
IN COURT TODAY. IT’S BEGGING THE
QUESTION WE’RE ASKING THE CITY
AND WE’RE ASKING DOT, WHY WAS
SHE ALLOWED TO DRIVE A BUS?
>> SHE FINDS IT QUITE TROUBLING.
>> BUT BEYOND THAT, THE COURT
SEES THAT IN 2015, YOU WERE
INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC CRASH
RESULTING IN A FATAL INJURY,
THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CRASHES
EITHER WITH A BUS OR YOUR
PERSONAL VEHICLE IN 2018 TO AND
19 1 IN 21 AND 21 1 IN 22. AND
THEN WE HAVE THIS MATTER TODAY.
SO THE COURT DOES FIND YOU YOU
TO BE A DANGER STUNNING
INFORMATION COMING FROM THE LATE
AFTERNOON ARRAIGNMENT OF BUS
DRIVER GERALDINE JOHNSON.
>> SHE’S FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES
FOR A FATAL ACCIDENT JUNE
SECOND, RIGHT IN DOWNTOWN
DETROIT. THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE
SAYS JOHNSON LITERALLY RAN OVER
67 YEAR OLD JANICE BAUER, WHO
WAS IN A CROSSWALK AND HAD THE
RIGHT OF WAY. JOHNSON AN IN A
BUS, WAS MAKING A TURN. AND
POLICE SAY SHE HIT HER. IT IS
JOHNSON’S SECOND FATAL ACCIDENT
BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A BUS IN
2015. A PEDESTRIAN NAMED JOEY
DAVIS WAS HIT AND KILLED BY A
BUS. THE MAGISTRATE SAYS THE
DRIVER WAS GERALDINE JOHNSON. WE
SPOKE WITH DAVIS FAMILY BACK
THEN. WHAT WAS SHE DOING?
>> AND LIKE? WAS SHE ON HER
PHONE? WAS SHE NOT PAYING
ATTENTION? I MEAN, THE BUS
WASN’T FULL.
>> BACK HERE LIVE. SO WHAT
HAPPENED AFTER THAT 2015 FATAL
ACCIDENT DOT TELLS US THAT
JOHNSON WAS RETRACE, GAINED AND
THEN PUT BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A
BUS. SHE DID NOT FACE CRIMINAL
CHARGES. THEN THIS TIME SHE IS
FACING THOSE CRIMINAL CHARGES.
WE ASKED THE CITY TODAY WE’RE
TRYING TO ASK DOT WITH THAT
DRIVING RECORD, INCLUDING TWO
FATAL WHY SHE WAS ALLOWED TO
CONTINUE TO DRIVE A BUS. NO
RESPONSE YET. THE CITY SAYS
THERE IS AN INTERNAL REVIEW
ONGOING. CHRISTIE DEVIN.
>> YEAH, A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON
THAT. SHAWN BUT BOND FOR JOHNSON
WAS DISCUSSED IN COURT LATE
TODAY, $100,000 PERSONAL BOND.
>> IF SHE GETS OUT ON THAT BOND.
CHRISTY, THE MAGISTRATE SAID
ABSOLUTELY NO DRIVING OF ANY
VEHICLE.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO
FOLLOW IT. THANKS SO MUCH,
SHAWN. AS THE LEGAL TROUBLES
MOUNT FOR FORMER PRESIDENT
TRUMP, REPUBLICAN OPPONENTS ARE
WORKING TO CAPITALIZE ON IT.
>> THAT INCLUDES HIS FORMER
RUNNING MATE, NOW TURNED RIVAL
MIKE PENCE, AS ALICE BARR
REPORTS, THIS IS A PIVOTAL
MOMENT FOR GOP 2024 PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES. AS IT REMAINS TO BE
SEEN WHETHER THEY WILL BREAK
WITH THE FRONTRUNNER. FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP, ALICE DEVIN
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS
SETTLING IN FOR A LONG LEGAL
BATTLE, EVEN AS A NEW QUINNIPIAC
NATIONAL POLL OUT TODAY SHOWS HE
STILL HAS A 30 POINT LEAD OVER
HIS NEXT CLOSEST RIVAL IN THE
GOP PRIMARY.
>> ONE DAY AFTER FORMER
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PLEADED
NOT GUILTY TO 37 COUNTS OF
KNOWINGLY MISHANDLING CLASSIFIED
DOCUMENTS AND CONCEALING THEM
FROM INVESTING GATORS, HE’S
BLASTING THE FEDERAL CHARGES AND
PUBLICLY PROJECTS CONFIDENCE.
>> WE WILL TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY
WHILE PRIVATELY, A SOURCE IN
CONTACT WITH HIM TELLS NBC NEWS
THE FORMER PRESIDENT KNOWS HE’S
ENTERING A PERIOD OF LONG AND
UNCERTAIN LEGAL BATTLES AND IS
BRACING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
MORE INDICTMENTS.
>> HIS RESPONSE TO GO ON THE
ATTACK AGAINST THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT, CORRUPT DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE WHO THINK THEY ARE
ABOVE THE LAW. ATTORNEY GENERAL
MERRICK GARLAND TODAY REFUSING
TO COMMENT ON THE INDICTMENT
WHILE DEFENDING SPECIAL COUNSEL
JACK SMITH AND INSISTING THAT
APPOINTING HIM TO RUN THE
INVESTIGATION UNDER SCORES, THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S COMMITMENT
TO BOTH INDEPENDENCE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY. A TRUMP
SPOKESMAN TELLING NBC NEWS THE
FORMER PRESIDENT IS TAKING UP
ALL THE OXYGEN IN THE 2024 GOP
PRIMARY, THREE LEAVING
REPUBLICAN RIVALS AT A
CROSSROADS, SOME SHARPENING
THEIR RHETORIC.
>> THIS INDICTMENT CONTAINS
SERIOUS CHARGES AND I CANNOT
DEFEND WHAT IS ALLEGED.
>> FORMER UN AMBASSADOR NIKKI
HALEY LOBBING SIMILAR CRITICISM
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME I WOULD
BE INCLINED IN FAVOR OF A
PARDON. OTHER CANDIDATES TAKING
MR. TRUMP HEAD ON RIGHT NOW.
>> DONALD TRUMP IS NOT GOING TO
BE ABLE TO WIN IN A NOVEMBER
ELECTION. AND IT’S GOING TO GET
WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.
>> THE CONDUCT THAT’S DETAILED
IN THAT INDICTMENT, IT’S
RECKLESS. IT’S HARMFUL TO THE TO
AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY. A
PIVOTAL MOMENT IN THE RACE FOR
THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE NATION’S
FUTURE.
>> WHILE THE VAST MAJORITY OF
REPUBLICANS HERE ON CAPITOL HILL
IS STILL STANDING BY, FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP, A FEW ARE
BEGINNING TO SPEAK OUT,
INCLUDING TODAY A MEMBER OF
SENATE GOP LEADERSHIP WHO SAID
THAT HIS PARTY HAD LOST THE LAST
THREE ELECTIONS IN A ROW WITH
THE FORMER PRESIDENT. THE ISSUE
IN EACH OF THEM IN WASHINGTON,
ALICE BARR, LOCAL 4. ALL RIGHT,
ALICE, ALONG WITH THE
PRESIDENT’S FEDERAL CHARGES, HE,
OF COURSE, ALSO FACES STATE
CHARGES IN NEW YORK.
>> AND THERE IS THE ONGOING
INVESTIGATION CONTINUING IN
GEORGIA AFTER TEN CONSECUTIVE
RATE HIKES, THE FEDERAL RESERVE
HAS PUSHED THE PAUSE BUTTON ON
THE RATE IS GOING TO STAY AT 5.
>> EXPERTS SAY IT’S BECAUSE
INFLATION IS EASING AND THE FED
WANTS TO LOOK AT WHETHER PAST
HIKES HAVE SLOWED PRICE
INCREASES. THE FED HAS RAISED
RATES TEN STRAIGHT TIMES. IT IS
SIGNALING IT MAY RAISE RATES
TWICE MORE THIS YEAR, THOUGH,
STARTING AS SOON AS THIS MONTH.
>> A WOMAN IN HER 90S HAS DIED
AFTER A FIRE AT HER HOME ON
DETROIT’S EAST SIDE HAPPENED
OVERNIGHT ON ORLEANS STREET NEAR
STATE FAIR AND DEQUINDRE. THE
CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER
INVESTIGATION, BUT FIRE
OFFICIALS SAY THIS TRAGEDY IS A
REMINDER TO ALWAYS HAVE A FIRE
ESCAPE PLAN. AND WORKING SMOKE
DETECTORS.
>> PEOPLE LIVING IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD ON DETROIT’S EAST
SIDE REALLY PUT IN SOME HARD
WORK DURING THE MOTOR CITY
MAKEOVER.
>> AND THEN LESS THAN A FEW
WEEKS LATER, ILLEGAL DUMPERS
MOVED RIGHT BACK IN AND LEFT
TRASH ALL OVER THE PLACE. OUR
CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR, HANK
WINCHESTER, LIVE IN THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD. SO FRUSTRATING FOR
THE RESIDENTS THERE, HANK.
>> DEVIN, YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE,
RIGHT? THAT’S WHY WE GOT IN
TOUCH WITH THE CITY THIS MORNING
AS YOU WILL SEE, THE CITY WAS
OUT HERE JUST A SHORT TIME AGO.
YOU’RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT
WHAT’S THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD
TO TAKE CARE OF THIS. BUT TAKE A
LOOK. THIS IS JUST ONE BIG PILE
HERE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND
AS YOU MENTIONED, THE PEOPLE
THAT LIVE HERE, WELL, THEY’VE
SIMPLY HAD ENOUGH.
>> TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRASH IN
THIS EAST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> IT IS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
ILLEGAL DUMPERS MOVING IN,
CREATING A HUGE PROBLEM.
>> IT’S REALLY BAD BECAUSE IT’S
ONLY RECENTLY THAT PEOPLE HAVE
DECIDED TO LEAVE GARBAGE AND
THINGS LIKE THIS AROUND.
>> PAT OLDHAM HAS LIVED HERE FOR
50 YEARS NOW. THE NEIGHBORHOOD
HAS CERTAINLY CHANGED AND SHE IS
SO SICK AND TIRED OF THE ILLEGAL
DUMPERS. YEAH IT’S VERY
DANGEROUS AND IT’S VERY
FRUSTRATING.
>> JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD WAS CLEAN, AS COULD
BE EVERYONE GETTING TOGETHER FOR
THE MOTOR CITY MAKEOVER AND THEN
THE DUMPERS CAME BACK.
>> YOU KNOW, UNLESS SOMEONE
POLICE IN THE AREA OR ATTORNEY
PEOPLE IN THAT DUMPS IT, WHAT
ELSE YOU GOING TO DO?
>> YEAH, VERONICA AUSTIN IS NOT
ONLY WORRIED ABOUT HOW THIS
LOOKS, BUT SHE’S WORRIED ABOUT
THE CHILDREN, THE SENIORS IN
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SHE SAYS
SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO
CLEAN THIS UP ONCE AND FOR ALL.
>> IT’S ILLEGAL. IT IS ILLEGAL.
YEAH. SO SINCE IT IS ILLEGAL,
ALL THEY. BUT THEN, LIKE I SAY,
IF THEY’RE NOT CAUGHT, THEY GOT
TO KEEP DOING IT. IT’S VERY
CONCERNING FOR ME.
>> I DON’T I DON’T WANT OUR CITY
TO LOOK LIKE THIS. THIS IS
UNACCEPTABLE. YOU KNOW, THIS IS
REALLY DEBRIS THAT COULD BE
TAKEN TO A LOCAL DROP OFF CENTER
AND COULD BE DROPPED OFF FREE BY
ANY RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF
DETROIT. BUT INSTEAD, ILLEGAL
DUMPERS DO THIS.
>> TAKE A LOOK. I MEAN, YOU CAN
SEE THE FURNITURE, THE DEBRIS,
CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS. I MEAN,
THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE. AND
THERE ARE CHILDREN THAT LIVE IN
THE HOME NEXT DOOR. THE GOOD
NEWS, WORKING WITH THE CITY
TODAY, THEY TELL US THEY’RE ON
TOP OF THIS ONE RIGHT NOW.
THEY’RE GOING TO WORK TO GET
THIS CLEANED UP AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. HOWELL. WE’RE LIVE ON
THE EAST SIDE TONIGHT. HANK
WINCHESTER, LOCAL 4. CHRISTY
BACK TO YOU.
>> YEAH, HANK GATHERS A PLAN FOR
THIS, BUT IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT
TO REMIND PEOPLE HOW THEY CAN
ACTUALLY GET HELP TO GET THIS
CLEANED UP IF THEY’VE GOT
CONCERNS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND YEAH, AND AS YOU KNOW, AND
WE TALK ABOUT IT OVER AND OVER
AGAIN, THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL,
IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT, IS THE
IMPROVED DETROIT APP.
>> THE CITY ALWAYS RESPONDS
WITHIN 48 HOURS. OF COURSE, IF
YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, THOUGH, A
ISSUE REACHING OUT TO THE CITY,
GET IN TOUCH WITH US. WE’LL WORK
TO GET THIS PROBLEM TAKEN CARE
OF OR THE PROBLEM IN YOUR
COMMUNITY.
>> LEE ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD.
THANKS SO MUCH, HANK. TURNING
OUR ATTENTION NOW TO THE WEATHER
KIND OF HAZY, CLOUDY DAY UP
NORTH AND WE’RE TAKING YOU THERE
FOR THIS.
>> LOOK AT THE MACKINAW BRIDGE,
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY
THERE THROUGH THAT FIRST BIG
STAND, YOU CAN SEE A GIANT
AMERICAN FLAG UNFURLED ON THE
BRIDGE BECAUSE TODAY IS FLAG DAY
. YEAH.
>> AND BACK HERE AT HOME, LET’S
TAKE A LOOK AT SOME LIVE
PICTURES FROM OUR WINDSOR SKY
CAM. HEY, WE WILL TAKE THE SUN
AND 70S AFTER A FEW DAYS OF
RAIN. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE’RE NOT
OUT OF THE WOODS JUST YET.
>> NO. SO LET’S GET OVER TO
BRIAN SHERMAN IN FOR KIM
ADAMSON. HI THERE, BRIAN.
>> HEY THERE, DEVIN AND CHRISTY.
YEAH, NOT A BAD DAY. A NICE DAY
HEADING INTO THE EARLY PORTION
OF THE UNOFFICIAL START TO
SUMMER, A TOWER CAM OVER
DOWNTOWN DETROIT. THOSE PUFFY
CUMULUS CLOUDS FOR EVERYONE
WORKING THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY
WITH MOST EVERYONE INTO THE 60S
AND 70S 74 RIGHT NOW HERE IN
DETROIT, 75 OVER IN HOWELL, 72.
AS YOU WORK INTO PONTIAC AND 73
RIGHT NOW OVER IN ADRIAN, THE
VISIBLE SATELLITE REALLY SHOWS
THE PICTURE FOR TODAY. ALL THOSE
PUFFY CUMULUS CLOUDS WORKING
FROM THE NORTH DOWN OFF TO THE
SOUTH. AND EAST RIGHT THROUGH
METRO DETROIT. AND WE WILL KEEP
A LITTLE BIT OF CLOUD COVER INTO
THE FORECAST AS WE HEAD
THROUGHOUT THE EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT HOURS TONIGHT, 70S BY
6:00 THIS EVENING. 60S BY LATE
EVENING, 50S OVERNIGHT TONIGHT
AND WHILE WE HAVE THE DRY
WEATHER STICKING AROUND TODAY,
SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS
ARE IN THE FORECAST HEADING INTO
OUR THURSDAY. I’LL TIME OUT WHEN
THAT UMBRELLA IS GOING TO BE