Family questions why teens were let go after fatal crash in Northeast

WASHINGTON - There are barriers now in front of the Northeast home that was the scene of a horrific crash in April 2021.

Sources told FOX 5, at the time, two juveniles took one of their grandmother’s cars, ran through a red light, and crashed into a silver Toyota Camry. Flames erupted from the collision and the driver, 30-year-old Brian Johnson, was killed.  

A day after the crash FOX 5 spoke to the mother of Johnson's children who was heartbroken. 

Over a year and a half later, her grief is still strong. 

Johnson's partner, Myracle Bell, said she can forgive and believes in second chances, but she is also frustrated that the two juveniles responsible were let go.

The day after the fatal crash, a heartbroken and tearful Bell told FOX 5, "I just want those kids to know you really hurt my heart." Bell was six months pregnant with Johnson’s second child at the time.

One year and seven months later, Bell says, "We need someone to make an example. We need a judge to make an example out of someone because the kids think it’s a joke."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: DC police confirm suspects in deadly Northeast car crash appear to be minors

Bell tells FOX 5 one juvenile connected to the crash was let go. The other pled guilty and was allowed home under the condition they don’t get in trouble for a year. 

Last April, Bell told FOX 5 she was asked to take part in the Restorative Justice program, where both parties agree to sit down and talk about what happened.

At the time, Bell says she was upset and was not ready. The case has since closed, but Bell says she's ready to meet now and has asked to participate in the program.

FOX 5 asked Bell if she thinks Restorative Justice would help.

"I think that it will if they find a way to arrest juveniles," she said. "That should be a punishment." 

She also feels it’s important the suspects meet victims and understand their impact.

"[There’s] a big problem. We need more communities to come out and more activities for those children," Bell added. "It has to be something for these teenagers to do. I remember growing up, I don’t remember ever thinking about harming anyone … I don’t think I ever remember thinking about picking up a car or stealing a car. I mean granted, it may happen, but it’s becoming to be too much."

Bell has thrown herself into her son’s football team since the crash. It's an environment where the children can learn discipline, teamwork, and respect. She and the head coach are now fundraising to get the undefeated Rosedale 6U Northeast Checkboyz to Florida for nationals next month.

READ MORE: Driver, passenger flee after running red light and causing crash that left DC man dead, police say 

The team has a GoFundMe account to raise funds for what would be their first trip to nationals.

Bell says helping those 28 six and seven-year-olds is her therapy, as she and her three children continue to live through this tragedy.

FOX 5 did reach out to the D.C. Attorney General’s Office about this case. They refused to confirm any details, citing strict D.C. juvenile privacy laws.

FOX 5 asked the OAG if they could share data on the Restorative Justice program that includes statistics on whether any juveniles who went through the program re-offended. That request was not fulfilled.

Instead, the OAG sent FOX 5 this:

Here are some stats on the program:

• 94% of victims were satisfied with the manner in which the restorative justice facilitator or mediator prepared them for the eventual meeting with the offender.
• 94% of victims felt the restorative justice facilitator was good.
• 97% of victims felt that the restorative justice conference program allowed them to express their feelings about being victimized.
• Between January 1, 2021 and yesterday, November 9, 2022, OAG papered (prosecuted) 1,399 juvenile matters. Of these cases, 49 – just 3.5% - went through the full Restorative Justice process.
• Between January 1, 2017 and yesterday, November 9, 2022, OAG opened a total of 13,415 juvenile matters and prosecuted a total of 5,046 matters.
• In the initial stages of the program, matters that were not prosecuted were referred to the Restorative Justice (RJ) program. The program also received several "community cases" referred from schools and law enforcement. However, currently, only prosecuted cases are referred to RJ.
• Therefore, two sets of figures are provided here: RJ completions across all matters presented to OAG and RJ completions across only prosecuted matters.
• Looking at all juvenile matters opened 2017 – 2022 YTD: 194 – 1.4% (194/13,415) successfully completed the RJ process. An additional 12 matters opened in 2016 (but referred in 2017) and 14 community cases (referred outside of prosecution) also completed RJ.
• Looking at only prosecuted matters opened 2017 – 2022YTD: 159 – 3.2% (159/5,046) successfully completed the RJ process. An additional 6 matters opened in 2016 but referred in 2017) did so.

All victims from conferences completed are reached out to about satisfaction. Of victims who have participated in the survey:

• 94% were satisfied with the manner in which the restorative justice facilitator or mediator prepared them for the eventual meeting with the offender.
• 94% of victims felt the restorative justice facilitator was good. 
• 97% of victims felt that the restorative justice conference program allowed them to express their feelings about being victimized.

"Had that been Brian, and he ran that light and killed that baby, he would’ve been behind bars for a very long time," Bell said. "He wouldn’t have got a second chance. And I believe – I just believe that [the suspect] should’ve gotten some type of consequence."

"I just hope that youth, period, can just slow down a little bit," she added.