The courtroom fell silent, yet the image on the screen was jarring. Victoria Johnson, a Florida woman facing devastating charges, shook her head and a laugh escaped her lips as the judge detailed the accusations against her during a video conference.
The charges were immense: leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, leaving the scene with serious injury, tampering with evidence, driving with a suspended license causing death, and providing false information to law enforcement. The details painted a grim picture of Wednesday night, just before 8:30 p.m., when two young boys were struck by a vehicle near Faith Baptist Church in Winter Haven.
Eight-year-old tragically died from his injuries. A ten-year-old boy remains hospitalized, battling a broken arm, a fractured femur, and a severe skull fracture. He is currently listed in critical, but stable, condition. Witnesses described a dark-colored SUV speeding away from the scene, leaving behind shattered pieces of evidence.
The initial 911 calls brought deputies to a heartbreaking scene. The boys had been at a church event and were attempting to cross Crystal Beach Road when the northbound vehicle struck them. Surveillance footage captured a vehicle matching the description, and audio suggested a collision before the vehicle abruptly turned east.
Johnson’s story began to unravel quickly. She initially reported her dark blue Hyundai Santa Fe stolen, claiming it had been taken the night of the accident. But her narrative shifted, admitting she’d loaned the SUV to someone who never returned it. Eventually, she confessed to being behind the wheel Wednesday night, vaguely stating she “thought she might have hit someone.”
The truth became even more tangled when deputies discovered the SUV being driven by Corey Stewart, the man Johnson claimed had stolen it. Stewart and a passenger initially refused to cooperate, but a search of the vehicle revealed damage, missing parts, and potential biological evidence linked to the pedestrian impact.
Johnson’s account continued to fluctuate. She described aimlessly driving near her home, unable to recall specific roads, yet the area she mentioned aligned perfectly with the crash site – a mere 2.8 miles from her residence. She admitted to listening to music, seeking relaxation, and acknowledged her license was suspended due to a prior DUI arrest.
A disturbing detail emerged: Johnson confessed to using methamphetamine before driving that night. She later met Stewart at a convenience store, where he took control of her SUV. They then went to a house to use drugs again before attempting to fish at a nearby pond. She ultimately allowed Stewart to keep the vehicle.
During the hearing, when confronted with the charges, Johnson audibly stated, “I wasn’t even in the car.” The judge, unmoved, offered to appoint a public defender, to which Johnson readily agreed. Her attorney later suggested the incident was a tragic accident, questioning whether Johnson’s actions directly caused the collision.
The judge set Johnson’s bond at $100,000, but she remains held without bond due to a probation violation stemming from a previous DUI case earlier this year. The investigation continues, leaving a community reeling from loss and searching for answers.
