Kentucky lawmaker kills himself day after denying he molested girl, 17

A Kentucky lawmaker committed suicide a day after “flatly” denying reports that he molested a 17-year-old girl.

Louisville station WDRB, quoting Bullitt County Sheriff Donnie Tinnell, said Republican state Rep. Dan Johnson shot himself Wednesday on a bridge on Greenwell Ford Road in Mt. Washington, “and the gun was recovered.”

The station also quoted a Facebook post by Johnson that said in part: “The accusations from NPR are false GOD and only GOD knows the truth, nothing is the way they make it out to be. AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news.”

The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting alleged the molestation took place on New Year’s Eve 2012.

“The alleged victim told authorities that she was staying in a living area of the Heart of Fire City Church where Johnson was pastor, when Johnson, who had been drinking a lot, approached her, kissed her and fondled her under her clothes,” wdrb.com said.

Via Twitter, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin said his “heart breaks for (Johnson’s) family.”

Saddened to hear of tonight’s death of KY Representative Dan Johnson…My heart breaks for his family tonight…These are heavy days in Frankfort and in America…May God indeed shed His grace on us all…We sure need it…

— Governor Matt Bevin (@GovMattBevin) December 14, 2017