Mother of 9 killed in fiery Hwy 385 crash; driver had open alcohol, faced recent DWI in another state

COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. (WMC) - Court documents and investigators are revealing new details about how a fiery crash on Highway 385 Wednesday evening that killed a mother of nine. Action News 5 has learned the driver charged with driving drunk faced a similar charge just a month earlier in another state.

Collierville Police say Derek Kyle Johnson, 37, was driving near the Progress Road overpass around 5:15 p.m. when he slammed into the back of a Honda CR-V that was stopped in traffic within an active construction zone. The impact propelled the SUV forward, triggering a chain-reaction collision involving three more vehicles.

When emergency crews arrived, the CR-V was fully engulfed in flames with the female driver trapped inside. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Collierville Police say they victim was Rebecca Case. Social media posts, including by her church, identify her as a mother of nine children.

Responding officers reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol on Johnson and observed that his eyes were bloodshot and watery. After conducting a field sobriety test, police took Johnson to a hospital for a blood draw.

Inside Johnson’s vehicle, investigators say they found a cache of alcohol scattered across the floorboard, including five cans of hard cider, two canned screwdriver cocktails (16 oz. and 24 oz.), and an unidentified 30-ounce container that smelled strongly of alcohol. Officers noted another can of cider in the cup holder was still cold to the touch, indicating it had just been opened.

Court records and police reveal a growing pattern of prior charges across multiple jurisdictions:

• Bartlett, Tennessee: According to Collierville Police, Johnson has an outstanding failure-to-appear charge out of Bartlett.
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee: Johnson was driving on a suspended license connected to an August failure-to-appear charge.
• Howell County, Missouri: An Action News 5 investigation found Johnson faces active charges from late September for DWI and driving on a suspended license after being clocked at 86 mph in a 55 mph zone. According to Missouri court documents, the arresting officer smelled alcohol, and Johnson admitted he had been drinking. Asked during field sobriety tests if he felt he was over the legal limit, Johnson reportedly responded, “Possibly.” He was scheduled to appear in a Missouri courtroom on those charges just two days before Wednesday’s deadly wreck.

Johnson was arraigned in court Friday morning on charges of vehicular homicide, DUI, reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, an open container violation, and a seat belt violation.

Friday he was transferred to the jail at 201 Poplar, where he is being held under $250,000 bail.

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