Cottonwood, Ariz, August 20, 2017- Sunday evening around 7 PM Cottonwood Police responded to the 600 block of S. Main Street for a report of a head-on injury accident. The investigation revealed 34 year-old Cottonwood resident, Eric Everett Dale Johnson, and an adult male passenger were traveling southbound in a white 2012 Chrysler van when he crossed lanes of traffic and collided head-on with a black 2017 Nissan pickup. The driver of the Nissan is from Prescott Valley.
Johnson and the other occupant of the Chrysler van were pulled from the vehicle and CPR was performed by citizens which included a volunteer from the police department’s Citizens on Patrol program. Johnson was suspected of opioid overdose due to pin point pupils, no pulse and he was turning blue. Emergency medical personnel treated and revived him on scene and then transported him to Verde Valley Medical Center. The passenger was flown to Flagstaff Medical Center for a higher level of care and was listed in critical condition.
The driver of the Nissan pickup reported injuries due to the airbag deploying. Johnson was treated and released from the Emergency Department of VVMC. He was subsequently arrested and booked into jail for aggravated assault, aggravated DUI and criminal damage; all felonies.