Johnson: The Facts on the Day

On October 11, 2017 Rodney Johnson stole a semi-trailer in Murrurundi and went on a psychotic rampage down the New England Highway culminating in the truck stopping and bursting into flames in Singleton.

The details of the offences that day are set out in the agreed statement of facts and included the following:

At approximately 7:20am on Wednesday, October 11 Rodney Johnson approached Charles Mamo at the BP service station in Murrurundi when Johnson asked which direction, he was travelling in. Mr Mamo said he was travelling to Tamworth and Johnson said he wanted to go to Sydney.

The prime mover had approximately 42 tonnes of mushroom compost in the trailer and when Mr Mamo went to pay for fuel Mr Johnson climbed in to the cabin and began driving the truck south along the New England Highway.

As Mr Johnson drove into Wingen, he crossed double lines and overtook a brown Holden Captive occupied by Mr and Mrs Edwards. There was a white hatchback driving north on the highway and Mrs Edwards had to break harshly to allow the truck room to move back over into the southbound lane to avoid a collision between the truck and the white hatchback.

Near the intersection of the Highway and Mareeba Road in Parkville the truck again moved into the northbound lanes and was seen to swerve quickly from the north bound lanes and the south bound lanes and then throw items out of the driver’s window. The truck was being driven erratically and above the 80km speed limit.

A white Toyota Camry which was also driving south bound was forced to pull off the road to avoid a collision with the truck and was observed continuing to swerve over both lanes forcing several vehicles off the road.

As Johnson approached Scone, near Mackybe Diva Street, a fully marked police car driven by Senior Constable Cloake and with leading Senior Constable Carter were travelling north when they saw the stolen truck.

When Johnson saw the police car, he drove into the oncoming lane directly towards the police. Snr Con Cloake swerved off the road to avoid a collision and after the truck passed performed a U-turn and commenced pursuit with lights and sirens.

Johnson continued travelling south at approximately 85 km an hour in a 50 km zone and due to the dangerous manner of his driving over 500 metres, the police ceased the pursuit for public safety.

On the southern side of Scone in the 90km zone, the police were in lane two of the two south bound lanes coming alongside the truck when Mr Johnson deliberately veered into their lane. The police had to move into the northbound lane to avoid a collision, before getting in front of the truck and travelling at speed in an attempt to get distance between their vehicle and the truck.

Mr Johnson continued to gain on the police, as they tried to provide cover for vehicles in front of them. As they came into Aberdeen the police were concerned for vehicles in front of them and tried to ‘herd’ vehicles off the road and out of the path of the truck.

Johnson then began driving in the northbound lane and was travelling at approximately 100km in a 50km zone, crossing the bridge into Aberdeen.

Near Gordon Street, Johnson overtook three vehicles travelling south, forcing a blue Holden Commodore travelling north to get off the road.

Approximately two km south of Aberdeen Johnson overtook a B-Double semi-trailer over double unbroken lines on a sweeping bend, forcing the B-Double off the road, which was captured on the dash cam footage of witness Robinson.

Robinson also saw the truck continue to cross onto the wrong side of the road forcing other northbound vehicles off the road.

As Johnson drove into Muswellbrook, he collided heavily with a black Nissan Navara being driven by Fiona Bolam near the Manning Street intersection. There was damage to the rear of the Nissan and the victim sustained whiplash.

When Johnson approached the traffic lights at Sydney Street, which were red, he changed into a higher gear and increased speed, narrowly missing several vehicles at the intersection.

The truck continued west along Sydney Street and was followed by an unmarked police car driven by Sergeant Hobson, with Constable Bellman and Sergeant Norris who were all in police uniform.

Johnson then turned left into Skellatar Stock Route and travelled 550 metres before leaving the road and turning left into Wollombi Reserve. Police believed he may have been preparing to abandon the vehicle, so they stopped on the roadway entrance to the Reserve, with the nose of the car facing towards the reserve.

On seeing this Johnson turned 180 degrees at speed, causing the trailer to swerve out behind the cabin and began driving directly at the police vehicle, shifting up gears.

Police said Johnson looked directly at them in the car and continued driving towards them. The police were unable to reverse straight back due to a culvert and had to reverse and drive forward several times get out of the path of the truck.

The incidents on October 11, 2017 impacted on many people in our community. If you need to talk LifeLine are available for crisis support: 13 11 14 or visit their website for more information: LifeLine.

Johnson continued past the police vehicle missing it by approximately one foot, before travelling back along Skellatar Stock Route and turning right onto Sydney Street travelling back towards the traffic lights.

The lights were red, but Johnson turned right into the intersection at speed and continued travelling south on the Highway through Muswellbrook.

Near Bell Street, Johnson collided heavily with a Toyota Camry sedan driven by Carolyn Carter. The Camry sustained rear damage and shattered the back windscreen. Ms Carter sustained whiplash.

Johnson then drove through the lights at Bell Street and opposite McDonalds he collided heavily with a white Holden Colorado tray back being driven by Kelly Tito. The ute became stuck to the front bullbar of the truck and could not move. The ute was pushed five to ten metres, until Ms Tito was able to edge her vehicle to the left and break away from the truck. The ute sustained significant damage and Ms Tito sustained whiplash and bruised limbs.

The truck was then driven through the red lights at the Rutherford Road intersection continuing to force other vehicles off the road as he travelled south on the Highway.

The police continued to follow Mr Johnson in an unmarked car from a distance, so as not to engage him in pursuit and endanger the public any further.

At approximately 8:43am a marked police car, driven by Sergeant Kain was at the intersection of Magpie Street and the Highway and activated lights and sirens as Johnson drove past. The officer pursued Johnson for approximately 1.8km to the rail overpass, known as the ‘hole in the wall’ at Singleton, where police had deployed spikes to try to prevent the truck from reaching the township of Singleton.

The spikes were deployed successfully but Johnson was able to drive a further 1.8km with witnesses observing him driving in a deliberate and controlled manner.

The truck collided heavily wit a red Holden Cruze sedan driven by Kerry Small. The collision caused the car to rotate clockwise and the driver’s side was against the front of the truck. Ms Small sustained two intracranial bleeds, fractured ribs on both sides, collapsed lungs, two broken legs and fractures to several vertebra.

Ms Small’s car was pushed along for approximately 60 metres before it has veered right and collided with a Toyota Kluger wagon with four people inside. The Kluger was stationary on George Street, in traffic, before the collision. Warren Novely suffered stiffness to his neck and bruising to his arms and upper body. Rebakah Taylor was bruised and had soreness to the right shoulder and a broken coccyx.

The Toyota Kluger was then pushed into the back of a white Hyundai i30 hatch, driven by Deborah Anderson which was also stuck in traffic. The Hyundai was shunted anticlockwise and came to rest with the front facing the western footpath. Ms Anderson received bruising to the right forearm and both legs.

Johnson continued driving at speed and steered towards the left-hand kerb before colliding with a parked grey Toyota Rav 4, occupied by Robert Jones. The Rav 4 was shoved onto the eastern footpath, with the driver’s side pushed up against the wall of a building. Mr Jones sustained fractured ribs and severe bruising.

The truck then collided with a white Mazda 3 sedan which was parked and unoccupied. The care was pushed up onto the eastern footpath damaging a side fence.

Next Johnson collided with a parked grey Isuzu wagon with Paul Deakin in the driver’s seat and Jennifer Deakin in the front passenger seat. Mr Deakin sustained whiplash and bruising. Ms Deakin sustained whiplash, ongoing pain to her left hip, swelling and pain in the right knee.

The truck then mounted the gutter and caused minor damage to two veranda supports at the Royal Hotel, before continuing along the footpath and destroying a bus shelter, where minutes before school children had boarded a bus.

Johnson then drove the truck through the fascia of a heritage residence at 88 George Street causing major structural damage and collided with a telegraph pole at the corner of Market Street, snapping the pole off at the base and causing the truck to stop.

When the truck mounted the footpath near the Royal Hotel there was an immediate explosion of fire from under the diver’s side of the cabin and after the truck stopped the fire quickly took hold.

Johnson got out of the driver’s side window and ran to the western side of the road. Mr Bainbridge, whose truck was stopped in the northbound lane offered Johnson a place of safety in his truck as the truck Johnson had been driving became engulfed in flames and had several explosions.

Police approached M Bainbridge’s truck with guns drawn. Mr Bainbridge got out of his vehicle but had left the keys in the ignition. Johnson moved into the driver’s seat and when the police opened the door and tried to pull him out of the truck Johnson began punching and kicking the officers. He kicked Sergeant Kain in the face.

Sergeant Froml climbed into the passenger seat of the truck and pushed Johnson out of the truck. Johnson continued to resist arrest violently and bit Senior Constable Donnelly on the wrist.

There were several officers trying to arrest Johnson when he grabbed the gun of Senior Constable Harmer and tried to remove it from the holster. Snr Con Harmer yelled that he was trying to take his gun and more officers ran to assist.

Johnson then grabbed hold of Sergeant Froml’s extendable baton but could not remove it from the vest. Eventually Johnson was handcuffed and was moved away from the burning truck where he urinated himself and spat at officers.

Johnson was treated for minor injuries at Singleton Hospital before returning to the local police station.

At approximately 5pm, while in the police holding cell, M Johnson started masturbating. Officers asked him to stop, but he refused, ejaculating in the cell.

Johnson was then formally interviewed and admitted to stealing the vehicle and intending to drive it to Sydney but claimed to have no recollection of the incidents between Murrurundi and Singleton.

During the interview Johnson urinated on the office chair he was sitting on and the chair had to be replaced.

Please be mindful that there are many people in our community who have periods of being mentally unwell, who may have schitzophrenia, but pose no threat to the community and deserve compassion and respect. While we have detailed what was said in open court about Mr Johnson’s mental health for context, it should not be used to stigmatise mental health issues and others in our community. If the events of October 11 bring up challenging feelings for you, please phone LifeLine on 13 11 14 for crisis support.

Related Stories:

• The Lead Up to Johnson’s Rampage – March 2, 2019
• Sentencing for Rodney Johnson – March 1, 2019.
• Johnson Matter Mentioned in Newcastle – December 6, 2017
• Motor Left Running – October 12, 2017
• The Damage Done – October 12, 2017.
• No Remorse for Victims; – October 12, 2017.
• Johnson Adjourned to Newcastle – October 12, 2017.
• Highway Open – Driver in Court Today – October 12, 2017.
• Police Chase Update – October 11, 2017.
• Patient Update: Police Chase – October 11, 2017.
• Police Chase Ends – October 11, 2017.