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UPDATE -- The following release was issued by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department Friday night:
Sheriff Dale R. Gribler that David Glen Johnson, 32-year-old man from Covert was released from his Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo this afternoon around 3 p.m. Johnson was taken into custody by Sheriff Deputies who in turn transported him to the Van Buren County Jail in Paw Paw lodging him on the following charges:
3-Counts of 2nd degree Murder this in relation to the deaths of Cassadi Berryhill, Kandice Berryhill and Brittney King
3-Counts of Operating While Intoxicated Causing Death in relation to Cassadi Berryhill, Kandice Berryhill and Brittney King
3-Count of Operating While License Suspended Causing Death Cassadi Berryhill, Kandice Berryhill and Brittney King
1-Count of Operating While Intoxicated Causing Serious Injury to Justin Berryhill,
1-Count of Operating While License Suspended Causing Serious Injury to Justin Berryhill,
David Johnson was arraigned at approximately 4:00pm this date in South Haven District Court in front presiding Magistrate James Becker. Magistrate Becker denied bond to Johnson on these charges under Court Rule 6.106.
Van Buren County Sheriff Deputies had presented this complaint to the County Prosecutors Office on November 14th, 2012 the day following the fatal traffic crash where Chief Prosecutor Juris Kaps did authorize the following listed charges against Johnson. The warrant authorized this same date by Magistrate James Becker noted no bond for these charges.
Additionally David Johnson was arraigned on a Felony Warrant out of Covert Police Department for Larceny by Conversion. This bond was set at $5000(10%) cash or surety.
Johnsons next appearance date is for his preliminary hearing in South Haven District Court on November 28th, 2012 at 1:00pm
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PREVIOUS STORY FROM NOVEMBER 15: A suspected drunk-driver has been charged with murder in the deaths of a woman and two young children killed when his pickup truck collided head-on with their car in southwestern Michigan, authorities said Thursday.
South Haven District Court Magistrate James Becker said 11 felony counts have been authorized against David Glen Johnson. MLive.com previously reported the charges.
Van Buren County authorities have said Johnson is from Alabama, but a court filing lists his hometown as Grand Junction, Mich.
The 32-year-old faces three counts of second-degree murder, three counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death and five other counts.
Becker said he reviewed and signed off on the charges on Wednesday.
An arraignment hearing for Johnson hasn't been scheduled, Becker said.
Brittney Renee King, 24, of Bangor, died in the crash along with two of her passengers, 2-year-old Kandice Berryhill and 4-year-old Cassadi Berryhill, both of South Haven. Another passenger in her car, the children's father, Justin Berryhill, 24, of Grand Junction, was hospitalized in stable condition.
"They were just sweet. They were innocent. They had so much to give to the world," Belinda Quinones, the children's grandmother, told WOOD-TV. She said the children, their father and her niece, King, were headed home from having dinner at McDonald's.
The children weren't riding in child safety seats, the sheriff's department said, and King and Justin Berryhill weren't wearing seat belts. King's driver's license also was suspended, state records showed.
According to witnesses, the pickup truck driver was heading westbound and tried to pass a car in an oncoming lane when he collided head-on with the car driven by King. The truck then collided with the car he initially tried to pass.
Johnson also was hurt in the crash, which took place Tuesday in Geneva Township, 50 miles southwest of Grand Rapids.