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Man convicted of vehicular homicide for baby’s crash death

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April 4th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A man has been convicted of being intoxicated when his pickup truck struck a minivan in Waterloo, killing a baby inside. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 37-year-old Derrick Johnson was found guilty Tuesday of vehicular homicide while intoxicated. Authorities say Johnson was involved in an Aug. 2, 2017, collision that killed 7-month-old Liam Mwanje, who was inside the minivan when it overturned. Other children in the minivan were injured.

Police say Johnson was speeding, failed to halt at a stop sign and was distracted and looking in his rearview mirror. Police also estimated that Johnson’s blood alcohol level was as high as 1½ times the legal limit at the time of the collision and say he had cocaine in his system.