SENTENCED TO PRISON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Slow Down Move Over Inc. – A Non-Profit Organization Dedicated To Making A Change
ANOTHER LIFE TAKEN. A SENTENCE YEARS LATE. WHEN DOES THIS STOP?
BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN — Slow Down Move Over Inc. (SDMO Inc.) is once again speaking out following the sentencing of a driver responsible for the death of a roadway worker in Berrien County—a case that took more than three years to reach this point.
A man has now been sentenced to prison more than three years after a Berrien County road worker was hit and killed on the job.
38-year-old Taylor Johnson of Buchanan was sentenced to a minimum of four years and up to 15 years in prison for driving while intoxicated causing death. He has also been ordered to pay fines.
The incident occurred on July 20, 2022, when 57-year-old William “Mack” Isom was working along Red Bud Trail in Oronoko Township, trimming trees and branches in the roadway—doing exactly what countless roadway workers do every day to keep the public safe.
He never made it home.
Investigators determined that Johnson had a blood alcohol level of .134 and was traveling at speeds up to 70 miles per hour before the crash that killed Isom.
Let’s stop pretending this is complicated.
This was not an “accident.”
This was a chain of reckless decisions.
A decision to drink.
A decision to drive.
A decision to speed.
And those decisions killed a man who was simply doing his job.
Now, more than three years later, a sentence has finally been handed down. But the reality remains:
No amount of time served will ever equal the life that was taken.
Across this country, roadway workers, tow operators, and first responders continue to be struck, injured, and killed by impaired and reckless drivers. They stand in live traffic zones trusting that drivers will follow the law.
Too often, that trust is shattered.
This is not rare. This is not unpredictable. This is a pattern—and it’s being fueled by weak accountability, delayed justice, and a culture that still doesn’t take roadway safety seriously enough.
Four years minimum. Fifteen years maximum. A lifetime lost.
Slow Down Move Over Inc. stands with the family of William “Mack” Isom and every worker who steps onto a roadway knowing the danger is real.
We will continue to demand stronger enforcement.
We will continue to demand real accountability.
And we will continue to call out a system that moves far too slowly for families who never get their loved ones back.
Slow Down. Move Over. Or Pay The Price.
#SlowDownMoveOver #MoveOverLaw #EndDUI #WorkZoneSafety #RoadwaySafety #StruckBy #AccountabilityNow #ProtectOurWorkers #SDMO #NotOneMore
The sentencing of Taylor Johnson highlights the critical dangers faced daily by roadway workers, tow operators, and first responders who risk their lives to keep our roads safe. Having experienced similar work zones, I understand how vulnerable these individuals are, especially when drivers ignore laws designed to protect them. Driving under the influence and speeding not only break legal limits but shatter the trust that workers place in drivers' responsibility. It's essential to recognize that incidents like this are not isolated but part of a larger, troubling pattern of reckless driving behavior contributing to preventable tragedies. The delay in justice in such cases adds to the pain of affected families and communities. From personal observations in work zones, many drivers underestimate the risks and fail to slow down or move over, despite clear warnings. Advocacy groups like Slow Down Move Over Inc. play a vital role in raising awareness and pushing for stronger enforcement of move-over laws and DUI regulations to prevent future losses. Reflecting on this, I urge everyone to be more mindful and to understand that safety on the roads requires collective responsibility. Stopping impaired driving and following traffic laws can save lives—workers depend on it every day.
