A 29-year-old man was sentenced to a decade behind bars in connection with a crash that killed a beloved Salem teacher last year, according to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.
Damon Johnson was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday after being found guilty of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, and violation of open container laws.
The conviction stems from a crash that happened on July 10, 2025, on Delaney Road Southeast. The DA’s office said Johnson was driving eastbound at a high speed when he crossed the double line on a curve and hit 46-year-old Jeremy Wanak, who was riding his bike in the correct lane of travel. Wanak died at the scene.
At the time of his death, Wanak was a father of two and a science teacher at Sprague High School.
Deputies who responded to the crash scene noticed the smell of alcohol coming from Johnson’s car. The DA’s office said deputies found three cans of beer that were open and nearly empty, one full unopened can of beer, as well as marijuana, during a search of the car.
According to the DA’s office, Johnson denied consuming alcohol or drugs. His blood alcohol level was found to be above the legal limit at 0.098%. His blood also showed that he had recently consumed cannabis.
Johnson had prior DUII and reckless driving conviction, as well as multiple traffic violations, according to the DA’s office.
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