Latest news with #ChuckJohnson
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Yahoo
Woman Hugs the Man Who Killed Her Husband of 50 Years, Offering Forgiveness in Tearful Court Moment
Regina Johnson shared a tearful embrace with Joseph Tillman, who killed her husband in a hit-and-run, at his Aug. 7 sentencingNEED TO KNOW Regina Johnson hugged Joseph Tillman, the man who killed her husband in a hit-and-run, at his sentencing on Aug. 7 She also said she forgave Tillman, who was sentenced to 20 years, and he apologized Tillman was under the influence of nitrous oxide when he struck Regina's husband of 50 years, Chuck Johnson, in the 2024 hit-and-runAs a Georgia man was sentenced to 20 years for killing a man in a hit-and-run, the victim's wife did something that shocked even the judge. "I don't think I've ever seen the wife of a victim hug the defendant where they killed somebody," said Cherokee County Superior Court Judge Tony Baker, according to ABC 7 Chicago and Atlanta outlet WSB-TV. Baker's comment came after he witnessed Regina Johnson embrace Joseph Tillman, the man who killed her husband of 50 years, Chuck Johnson, in a hit-and-run last year, the outlets reported. Tillman was under the influence of nitrous oxide when he struck 78-year-old Chuck, who was riding his electric bike, according to WSB-TV. The Georgia widow embraced Tillman, who pleaded guilty to charges related to her husband's death, in a Cherokee County courtroom on Thursday, Aug. 7, and wrapped her arm around his neck, footage shared by the Atlanta station shows. The pair hugged for several seconds, with Tillman red-faced and tearful when they pulled away from each other. In a whisper mid-embrace, Regina also told Tillman she forgives him, according to WSB-TV. In response, she said he whispered back, repeatedly apologizing: 'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.' Tillman also apologized in an emotional statement during the sentencing. 'I pray that you hear my heart when I say I am truly, completely sorry,' he said, his voice quivering, per footage shared by the Atlanta news station. Regina said she hugged him because 'God told her he needed a mom hug,' according to WSB-TV. 'Joey doesn't know yet how much God loves him,' she told the outlet. 'Joey needs healing of things in his past, as we all do. And that is our heart and prayer.' Tillman pleaded guilty to three counts of homicide by vehicle, plus felony hit and run, making a false statement, DUI, and reckless driving in a non-negotiated plea, the Atlanta outlet reported, citing Cherokee County Assistant District Attorney Pete Lamb. He was sentenced to 20 years, with the first three in prison, ABC 7 Chicago and WSB-TV reported. The prison sentence was suspended on the condition that he complete a two-year inpatient rehab program, according to the outlets. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Chuck's daughter, Brittany McCarthy, was also in court for the Aug. 7 sentencing. In an emotional statement, she told Tillman, 'I will always be the daughter of a man that you killed,' per footage captured by WSB-TV. 'I will be the daughter whose heart you shattered, a life you forever changed because of your choice to do drugs while driving,' said McCarthy, who was visibly emotional. 'You became a deadly weapon, and my father paid the price with his life.' Tillman's lawyer, Paul Ghanouni, said that 'he's changed his way of life,' per WSB-TV, and 'seems like he's on a trajectory to continue to move forward with his life in a positive way.' Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
08-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Widow's incredible courtroom act of forgiveness for hit-and-run driver who killed her husband
A widow in Georgia has forgiven her husband's killer after a deadly hit-and-run - and in a shocking courtroom moment, she offered him a hug. Regina Johnson's husband, Chuck Johnson, 78, was tragically killed while riding an e-bik e after then 24-year-old Joseph Tillman passed out behind the wheel and struck the rider on March 3, 2024. Chuck was taken to hospital with critical injuries, where he later passed away on March 10. Yet, in a shocking courtroom moment, Johnson only had words of forgiveness for her husband's killer, who pled guilty to the charges related to Chuck's death, and offered him a hug. Johnson said that 'Joey doesn't know how much God loves him' and offered Tillman a hug because 'God told her he needed a mom hug.' 'Joey needs healing of things in his past, as we all do. And that is our heart and prayer,' Johnson said. Tillman whispered to Johnson, 'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry,' WSB-TV 2 reported. Cherokee County Superior Court Judge Tony Baker said in shock: 'I don't think I've ever seen the wife of a victim hug a defendant where they killed somebody.' Regina Johnson's husband, Chuck Johnson (pictured right), 78, was tragically killed while riding an e-bike after then 24-year-old Tillman passed out behind the wheel and struck the rider on March 3 2024 Tillman had struck Chuck Johnson after he was found to have been drinking at a sports bar, before buying whippets of Galaxy Gas while behind the wheel. The nitrous oxide drug caused Tillman to pass out behind the wheel of his car, leading him to hit and ultimately end Chuck's life. Yet, he did not stop after hitting the bike rider and another driver who was involved in the incident was initially charged, Fox 5 reported. Tillman said: 'I've committed to the long road of making amends. I've entered rehab, embraced sobriety, began the hard, humbling work of healing. I know I do not deserve peace when I've caused so much pain.' Cherokee County Assistant District Attorney Pete Lamb said Tillman pleaded guilty to three counts of homicide by vehicle, felony hit and run, making a false statement, DUI and reckless driving in a non-negotiated plea, WSB-TV reported. Tillman's defense lawyer, Paul Ghanouni, said: 'He's changed his way of life and seems like he's on a trajectory to continue to move forward with his life in a positive way.' Tillman was sentenced to 20 years, the first three of which will be spent in prison on conditions pertaining to the completion of a 24-month inpatient rehab program and aftercare, the outlet reported. Baker, however, sternly warned him that 'the minute you flunk out, the minute you flunk out, you're going to go to prison.' Johnson said she wasn't sure justice could ever be fully served for such a crime that took her husband, but believes Tillman's sentencing will give him an opportunity to turn his life around. Instead, she is searching for justice by suing the manufacturer of Galaxy Gas and the Georgia-based Cloud 9 Smoke and Vape shop that sold the drug to Tillman. The shop reportedly sold the whippet to the driver less than an hour before the incident. Johnson's attorney Alan Hamilton said that the Cloud 9 chain 'had to absolutely know they were distributing a substance that was going to be inhaled by kids and other people,' Law & Crime reported. Kyle Wallace, also representing Johnson, added that 'the intent is clear that it's not being sold for culinary purposes.' Three companies are being sued by Johnson, including Cloud 9 Smoke Co. 28, LLC, Galaxy Gas, LLC, and SBK International, LLC. In a statement to WSB, the attorney representing the companies, Chris Timmons, said, 'Neither Cloud 9 Smoke Co. nor SBK International, LLC, have ever marketed or sold nitrous oxide products for unlawful use or misuse, which was strictly prohibited under their terms of use and conditions of sale at the time Galaxy Gas products were sold.' 'Both Cloud 9 and SBK International took immediate action out of an abundance of caution to remove Galaxy Gas products from retail shelves and distribution following of individuals misusing various nitrous oxide products,' the statement continued.
CBS News
12-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Frates family helps North Andover woman navigate husband's ALS diagnosis
Nicole Johnson plays "Ring Around the Rosie" with her three kids, ages 5, 3, and under 1 on her North Andover lawn. On the outside, she is calm and smiling, unable to tumble under pressure. On the inside, Johnson says her head is brimming with loose ends needing to be tied and grief she has no time to feel. On Valentine's Day 2024, Nicole's husband Chuck was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS, a fatal neurological disease, while Nicole was expecting their youngest. A few months after baby Jenna's birth, via C-section, Chuck was already confined to a wheelchair and Nicole took over his care, helping him into the car and watching him overnight. "I started doing that probably like a month postpartum out of necessity," she said. In the face of endless uncertainty, she reached out to Nancy Frates, an ALS patient advocate and mom of Pete Frates, who founded the viral Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014, spreading awareness of the disease globally. Nicole Johnson and Nancy Frates CBS Boston Nicole says Frates told her to focus not only Chuck's treatment but also his care within their home, which for ALS patients can cost up to $250,000 a year or more. "She was like you need to create a team behind you, support, and you need to raise money for you," Nicole said. "Make Way for Chucklings" Nicole formed "Make Way for Chucklings", a non-profit organization supporting their family and spreading awareness of ALS. She began to share their journey, from dances and story times to new wheelchairs and fundraisers, on her Instagram. In a blur, Chuck's journey ended. He passed away in April, less than two years after his ALS battle began. "We were about to go to bed one night and you can just see it in his eyes, something happened, and within a minute his eyes were closed," Nicole said, "They were like, oh no, he has time, like, you can enter a clinical trial up to two years post diagnosis. Well, he's gone 14 months post diagnosis so, never enough time." Now, Nicole can confide in Nancy. Both women are all too familiar with their hard path. While ALS awareness has surged and there are several drugs approved to slow the progression of the disease in some patients, both Nicole and Nancy say there are gaps in care for these patients. "I was told once that if I wanted coverage for Pete's care that we could put him in a nursing home and that would be covered and he was 30 years old," Frates said, "I thought to myself what is wrong with us. What is wrong with us as a society?" Helping other ALS patients To this day, most of the financial burden of at home care for ALS patients falls on their loved ones. Nicole says there are also long wait times for much needed equipment like wheelchairs. "In my way to give back I'd also like to come up with some sort of guidelines or one page cheat sheet on what to do when you get a diagnosis or what to do at this stage of progression," Nicole said, "Chatting with people who have already been through this journey and understand it has been incredibly helpful and I'd like to be that resource." To learn more about Nicole and Chuck's journey and ALS, visit and
