Woman facing more charges in fatal crash on Great River Bridge

HENDERSON Co., Ill. (KWQC) - The driver who troopers say fatally struck two construction workers on the Great River Bridge in October, is now facing more serious charges in Henderson County.

Emily Johnson, 22, is now facing two counts of reckless homicide; a Class 2 felony, and two counts of aggravated unlawful use of an electronic communication device, a Class 4 felony.

Johnson was originally cited for Scott’s Law – improper passing of a stationary emergency vehicle, improper use of an electronic communication device and failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash.

According to Illinois State Police, troopers responded around 8 a.m. Oct. 18, to the Great River Bridge for a report of a crash involving two construction workers from a Burlington, Iowa company.

The workers, identified as 20-year-old Pearson J. Franklin and 35-year-old Andrew Whitcomb were walking behind their stationary pickup truck and trailer, with the yellow construction lights activated, while setting construction barrels for a work zone on the Great River Bridge of U.S Route 34 westbound, according to troopers. A 2016 Mazda CX5, driven by Johnson, was westbound on the bridge hit a barrel, and then hit the two workers causing fatal injuries.

Franklin, Whitcomb, and Johnson were taken to an area hospital at the time of the crash, troopers said. Both Franklin and Whitcomb were pronounced dead.

According to court records, a preliminary hearing for Johnson is set for May 3.

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