Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Michael Johnson was struck and killed by a vehicle after he put spike strips down on the highway to stop the vehicle being pursued by other officers.
Troopers from the Vermont State Police were chasing a suspect who fled from a traffic stop on I-91 in Thetford. Sergeant Johnson was located about five miles south of the initial traffic stop. After laying down the spike strips in the roadway, Sergeant Johnson parked his patrol car in the nearby crossover between the north and southbound lanes of I-91, near Exit 13.
As the suspect approached the spike strips, the suspect swerved into the median and through the crossover, striking Sergeant Johnson. The suspect's black colored Nissan stopped in the northbound lane of I-91 and he fled the scene on foot. He was apprehended in Pennsylvania two days later. Sergeant Johnson was transported to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire where he later died from his injuries.
The suspect was charged with second degree murder in connection with Sergeant Johnson's death but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. On September 15, 2004, he was sentenced to 26 to 33 years in prison.
Sergeant Johnson had served with the Vermont State Police for 16 years and was assigned to Troop B in Bradford.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VT-5ED38C0E- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Johnson gave the Vermont State Police 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Vermont. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Johnson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Michael Walter Johnson is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In VT, 12 of 31 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 38.7% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Vermont State Police, 3 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Walter Johnson's cause is highlighted.
How Michael Walter Johnson Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 26-33 Years
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Walter Johnson is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Vermont State Police are honored on badge.nw.
