Poland man pleads guilty in crash that killed friend

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Poland man pleaded to one count of aggravated vehicular homicide and one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated for his role in a fatal crash in Boardman last year. Raymond Johnson Jr., 22, of Poland was indicted on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of driving under the influence following the Aug. 6 accident that resulted in the death of his passenger, Johnathan Watters, 21, of Youngstown.

Prosecutors dismissed one count of both aggravated vehicular homicide and driving under the influence in exchange for the plea.

The car Johnson was driving lost control while traveling north on Sheridan Road near Holbrooke Road at about 6:20 a.m. The car went off the right side of the road, over-corrected and went off the left side and overturned.

Watters was ejected from the vehicle, the Canfield Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said at the time.

Johnson and Watters were both friends who were intoxicated at the time of the accident, prosecutors said.

Johnson also pleaded guilty to attempted receiving of stolen property for an unrelated offense. Prosecutors asked for a three-year prison sentence with the opportunity for early release after one year.