Blown Tire Blamed for Arp Officer’s Death in Accident

MARSHALL — Authorities say a blown tire was responsible for an accident that killed an off-duty Arp police officer. Richard Wayne Johnson, 37, died after his vehicle blew the tire, then flipped on Interstate Highway 20. According to the Department of Public Safety, Johnson was traveling westbound in Harrison County near Highway 80, when he lost control of his vehicle, veered into oncoming traffic and overturned his vehicle just after 1:00 Sunday afternoon. KETK reports, two juveniles were also in the vehicle with Johnson at the time of the wreck, but were not injured. Johnson was not wearing a seatbelt.

Johnson had been with the Arp Police Department for about three years, and was also the Arp ISD school resource officer.