Trial delayed for Buchanan man accused of killing road worker

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. (WNDU) - The trial for a man accused of driving drunk and killing a Berrien County Road Department worker last year has been delayed again.

According to our reporting partners at The Herald-Palladium, Taylor Johnson, 34, of Buchanan is charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death. His charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Last July, police were called to Red Bud Trail near Glendora Road in Oronoko Township. When officers arrived, they found William “Mack” Isom, 57, of Baroda lying in the road. They also found Johnson walking around the area and his damaged vehicle.

Officers say Isom had been working on cutting up a fallen tree which was in the roadway when Johnson was driving south on Red Bud Trail and collided with both the tree and Isom.

Michigan State Police conducted an accident reconstruction of the incident. Johnson sustained minor injuries and was later arrested for operating while intoxicated causing death.

Police did field sobriety tests on Johnson. He was found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.194 at the scene and later had a blood alcohol level of 0.161 when tested at the hospital. Both levels are more than twice the legal limit.

Johnson had initially been scheduled for trial in early January and most recently had been set for trial in mid-April.

No date has been set for the delayed trial.

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