Ironwood man charged in collision with house

By TOM STANKARD

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Ironwood — The driver who crashed into the house across the street from the Ironwood McDonald’s on Aug. 21 was arraigned Monday in Gogebic County District Court in Bessemer.

On Aug. 21, Brandon Dennis Johnson, 23, of Ironwood, was incarcerated in the Gogebic County Jail at Bessemer for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, first offense, and texting while driving.

Johnson told a Gogebic County Sheriff’s Department deputy he had been out drinking and was on his way to pick up his wife. On the way, Johnson said he got distracted while reading a text, looked up and crashedß into the house on Cloverland Drive.

Johnson performed several field sobriety tests. According to the GCSD report, the deputy repeatedly said that Johnson’s voice was slurred and he had trouble balancing.

Deputy Josh Elias then performed a breathalyzer test, and Johnson blew a .17 and was then arrested.

The deputy contacted the owner of the house, Rick Tippett, of Ironwood, to let him know what happened.

Ironwood Public Safety Department officers were tied up on another complaint, so the sheriff’s department responded.