A Kentucky Republican killed himself Wednesday night — a day after he held a news conference to deny allegations of improper conduct with a 17-year-old girl in 2012.
Dan Johnson, a Republican House representative, reportedly shot himself outside his car on the Greenwell Ford Road bridge in Mt. Washington, Kentucky.
Police received a tip alerting them to Johnson’s emotional post on Facebook.com about an hour before he killed himself.
Louisville police followed his cellphone pings and located his body near his car on the bridge over the Salt River. Bullitt County Sheriff Donnie Tinnell said Johnson’s body was found on the bank of the river.
On Tuesday, Johnson held a press conference at his church on Bardstown Road, to deny the allegations that he forced himself on a 17-year-old girl in the basement of his church in 2012.
The girl told authorities that she was staying in a living area of the Heart of Fire City Church where Johnson was pastor, when Johnson, who was drunk, approached her, kissed her and forced his hand down her pants.
The allegations were investigated by police at the time but the case was closed without charges for lack of evidence.
The Pope, as he was known to his parishioners at the Heart of Fire Church in southeast Louisville, said that he would not step down as state representative on Tuesday.
An investigative website published the woman’s version of the events on Monday.
Around 5 p.m. Wednesday, Johnson left an emotional post for his family and friends on Facebook. In the post he described his wife as “the best wife in the world” and he told his five children and nine grandchildren (two of them unborn) to “Forgive and Love everyone especially yourself.”
“The accusations from NPR are false GOD and only GOD knows the truth, nothing is the way they make it out to be. AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news. Conservatives take a stand. I LOVE GOD and I LOVE MY WIFE, who is the best WIFE in the world, My Love Forever ! My Mom and Dad my FAMILY and all five of my kids and Nine grandchildren two in tummies and many more to come each of you or a total gift from GOD stay strong, REBECCA needs YOU . 9-11-2001 NYC/WTC, PTSD 24/7 16 years is a sickness that will take my life, I cannot handle it any longer. IT Has Won This Life . BUT HEAVEN IS MY HOME. “PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY, Only Three things I ask of you to do, if you love me is (1) blame no person, Satan is the accuser, so blame the Devil himself. (2) Forgive and Love everyone especially yourself. (3) most importantly LOVE GOD. P.S. I LOVE MY FRIENDS YOU ARE FAMILY ! GOD LOVES ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT !”
If you or someone you care about is thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention hotline at Call 1-800-273-8255. Someone is waiting to take your call 24 hours a day.
