BOZEMAN, MT — A Montana judge has sentenced Gerald Lee Johnson Jr. to 15 years in prison for his role in a deadly hit-and-run crash and the effort prosecutors said followed it. Johnson, 39, was sentenced Friday in Gallatin County after a jury convicted him in June on two felony counts tied to a 2023 collision that killed 28-year-old Hunter Berry of Manhattan.
Judge Rienne McElyea imposed 10 years for tampering with evidence, with 2 years suspended, and another 7 years for leaving the scene of a crash involving death. Because the terms will run consecutively, Johnson will serve 15 years behind bars before being transferred to the Montana Department of Corrections.
How the deadly crash unfolded near Frontage Road and Thorpe Road
Charging documents say a Montana Highway Patrol trooper was sent to the intersection of Frontage Road and Thorpe Road around 10:13 p.m. on Aug. 6, 2023, after a pickup truck and motorcycle collided. By the time the officer arrived, the pickup had already left the scene.
Berry was taken to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital, where he died from his injuries. The crash led Highway Patrol to ask the public for help finding the pickup truck the next day. Investigators later obtained security video from ACME storage in Belgrade showing a truck that matched the vehicle description.
What investigators said about the driver swap and aftermath
Prosecutors said Johnson first told investigators that Hollie Kittle was driving the pickup until the I-90 overpass on Thorpe Road, when Johnson switched into the driver’s seat. Johnson later said he was driving when the crash happened. The charging documents say he failed to yield the right of way and struck Berry’s motorcycle.
Authorities said Johnson then left without stopping to help or provide identifying information. A representative from ACME storage described Kittle as a “problem tenant,” according to the filing. Johnson was arrested on a warrant before his interview with officers, and the case moved forward on felony charges of leaving the scene and tampering with evidence.
Jury verdict and family statements led to consecutive prison terms
The Gallatin County jury convicted Johnson of tampering with evidence and leaving the scene of a crash involving death, but acquitted him of negligent homicide. That verdict left the sentencing judge to weigh the two proven felony counts and the effect of the crash on Berry’s family.
Before announcing the punishment, McElyea heard from Berry’s relatives in court. Gallatin County Attorney said the case has always been about accountability and that the sentence reflects the seriousness of the crimes. Johnson is now expected to begin serving the sentence in the state corrections system.
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