A Tennessee man found with a severed human torso in his car is out of jail, but prosecutors are hoping to revoke his bond after learning he had a previous DUI conviction.
Knox News reports that 29-year-old Dorrae Johnson was arrested earlier this week and charged with vehicular homicide, felony evading arrest and driving with a revoked license. The incident marks the second time the man has been arrested for drinking and driving. In 2017, Johnson was charged with DUI and was out on bail when he hit a pedestrian on Sunday, severing the victim’s body.
Johnson made $76,000 bail for the latest charges earlier this week, but prosecutors are trying to revoke the man’s bond or increase it significantly.
“The State contends that the defendant’s repeated refusal to obey the laws of this State make him a continuing threat to the community,” prosecutors wrote in a motion, according to the outlet.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Johnson was swerving in and out of lanes on Interstate 40 early Sunday morning at around 3:30 a.m. in Knoxville, prompting police to pull him over. As an officer walked toward the man’s car, he allegedly screamed from his window that he had to get his family home. The suspect reportedly drove away from the traffic stop, prompting a brief chase.
The chase ended when the suspect crashed his car into a utility pole while driving in the wrong direction. Police said Johnson got out of the car and fled, but they caught him soon after. An officer then turned the man’s car off and saw a human torso on Johnson’s passenger floorboard, according to arrest documents.
The other half of the victim’s body was found close to Sutherland Avenue. According to police, Johnson, who was described as “blitzed,” hit and killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence. It’s still unclear how the victim’s torso ended up inside the suspect’s car.
The victim was identified as Daryl Butler, a 65-year-old man who had recently been placed in a nearby public housing complex by the Volunteer Ministry Center (VMC), after living homeless for years.
VMC sadly learned today that one of our neighbors passed away over the weekend as the result of a traffic accident….
Posted by Volunteer Ministry Center on Monday, June 17, 2019
“Even though life had not always been easy, Daryl was a bigger than life personality and will be remembered for his smile, contagious positive attitude and always having a story to share with others,” VMC said on Facebook.
Johnson was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, financial responsibility law, speeding, driving on a revoked license, expired registration, seatbelt violation, display of registration plates, and texting while driving.
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[Feature Photo: Dorrae Johnson/Police Handout]
