Salem Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fatal DUII Crash That Killed Bicyclist

SALEM, Ore. — A 29-year-old man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday for a 2025 crash on Delaney Road SE that killed Jeremy Wanak, a bicyclist and Sprague High School science teacher.

Damon Johnson was sentenced October 8, 2026, by Marion County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Hart after being found guilty of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII), reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person and violating open-container laws.

The 120-month sentence is required under Oregon law pursuant to Ballot Measure 11. According to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office, 10 years is both the minimum and maximum sentence available in the case.

The fatal crash occurred around 7:16 p.m. on July 10, 2025, when Johnson was driving eastbound on Delaney Road SE. As he entered a curve with a 25-mph advisory speed, Johnson was traveling at an excessive speed, crossed the double center line and struck Wanak, who was riding his bicycle westbound in the correct lane.

Wanak died from injuries sustained in the collision. He was a father of two and a science teacher at Sprague High School.

During the investigation, Marion County Sheriff’s deputies noticed an odor of alcohol coming from Johnson’s vehicle. A search conducted under a warrant uncovered three open, nearly empty cans of beer, an unopened can of beer and marijuana. Johnson denied consuming alcohol or drugs.

Investigators later obtained a warrant to test Johnson’s blood. The results showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.098%, above Oregon’s legal limit of 0.08%. Testing also detected active components associated with recent cannabis consumption.

Johnson had a prior DUII and reckless driving conviction, along with multiple traffic violations.

Marion County District Attorney Brendan Murphy said DUII-related deaths are particularly tragic because they are preventable.

“DUIIs are entirely avoidable, which makes DUII fatalities especially tragic,” Murphy said. He added that Wanak’s death affected people across multiple local communities and expressed hope that the conviction would provide some measure of closure for the victim’s family.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation, with assistance from the Keizer Police Department and the Marion County District Attorney’s Office. The district attorney’s office also recognized the work of the Marion County Inter-Agency Crash Reconstruction Team.

Deputy District Attorneys Justin Barbot-Wheaton and Sarah Meyer represented the state in the case, which was filed under Marion County Circuit Court Case No. 25CR38374.