Fatal Accident in Holmes County Claims the Life of Westville Teenager and Leaves 21 Year-Old DeFuniak Springs Man in Critical Condition

December 04, 2016

An early Saturday morning single vehicle traffic crash North of Westville, FL on County Road 185 at the intersection of Coursey Road took the life of a 19 year-old Westville man and left a 21 year-old DeFuniak Springs man in critical condition.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol news release, Joseph Johnson, of Westville, was traveling northbound on County Road 185 in a 2007 Ford Mustang. As he passed Coursey Road, the vehicle left the roadway traveling onto the west shoulder into a ditch. The vehicle collided with the dirt embankment and became airborne. As the vehicle landed it overturned several times and came to final rest facing southwest on the edge of a creek bed.

Both Johnson and his passenger, Brandon Schmidt of DeFuniak Springs, were ejected from the vehicle as it violently overturned.  Johnson was found on the north side of the Mustang and Schmidt was pinned under the vehicle.

Johnson was transported to the Wiregrass Medical Center in Geneva, AL where he was pronounced deceased.

Schmidt was transported to the Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, AL where he is listed in Critical Condition.

Neither Johnson and Schmidt were wearing safety belts and it is unknown at this time if alcohol was a factor in the accident.