"I'm Bill Johnson Dammit!"

[Rik]

ORTLAND, Ore. - Olympic ski champion Bill Johnson was charged with assaulting an officer and resisting arrest after punching a sheriff's deputy in the face during a traffic stop, police said.

Johnson was stopped in his pickup truck Friday by a Multnomah County sheriff's deputy and a suburban Troutdale police officer. When the officers approached, Johnson pulled out his 1984 gold medal and taunted them by saying, "You don't have one of these," police said.

Authorities said Johnson threw his keys at Deputy Jeff Cordes, reached out his window, grabbed the deputy's shirt and punched him in the face. Johnson then refused to obey orders to exit the vehicle and lie on the ground.

Johnson was charged with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated. He remained jailed Saturday night, and was being held until arraignment Monday. Bail was set at $17,500.

When an officer tried to interview the 44-year-old Johnson in jail Friday, he lunged at the officer, grabbed him by the vest and tried to hit him, said Lt. Bruce McCain of the sheriff's office.

McCain said he did not know whether Johnson would be charged for that altercation.

The 1984 Olympic downhill champion, Johnson attempted a comeback to compete in the Salt Lake City Games. But he suffered a traumatic brain injury during a training run in March 2001 and was in a coma for three weeks.

[glademaster]

The man was a great skier but that fall messed with his head big time. It's a shame that something like this had to happen to him. He was in the wrong for doing what he did, but he sure as hell isn't all there.

[Blurred]

he obviously didn't hit the cop hard enough.......

[Benny Profane]

His head was messed up a long time before that accident. Actually, sounds like he's back to normal.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Glad to see he's still sticking it to the man. Literally.

Free Bill Johnson! No Johnson, no peace!

[splat]

His head was messed up a long time before that accident. Actually, sounds like he's back to normal.

Some friends partied with Billy once before the accident and said I'd get along great with him....

I took that to mean he might be a bit over the edge.

[Svengali]

Oh Goody! Trial by Internet!

[TJ.Brk]

The guy has been battling himself his entire life. I find it sad that he is carrying around his gold medal to flash around at a moments notice. It is a great accomplishment indeed. However, Bill isn't right at all since his brain injury/damage. I wish him the best and I hope that something will click and he will fully heal. Both physically and mentally.

[splat]

Oh Goody! Trial by Internet!

__________________
Life is Too Important to be Taken Seriously-Oscar Wilde

I think if it were a trial here, he would walk. Glademaster was the only response that was serious. Unless you were, too.

[Platinum Pete]

This could happen to any PNW skier. No snow makes us crazy.
If I wound up in the drunk tank, meeting him in there would make it better.

[powstash]

His head was messed up a long time before that accident. Actually, sounds like he's back to normal.

yea, big ego bill. The injury just tweaked with his reality.

[Svengali]

sorry splat, my impulsiveness and that there were two threads about this--and the potential to get outta hand--(yes I do believe maggots are above this )--I think Bill has more friends then Tanner does!! Bill has been a handful for a long time, but I would'nt wish his (undeserved) string of misfortunes on anyone---Hopefully, His mom and handful of close friends can see him through this latest episode.

[Benny Profane]

Tanner Hall 20 years from now?

[Platinum Pete]

Bill was on the news tonight because he got released. He was smiling and showing off his medal. He has a speech impediment and said he doesn't remember much of the 90s because of his brain injury. His mom was on and said that he was pretty out of it, but very happy. Then the newscast showed his brain mashing crash.
What a bummer. After all the discipline and commitment it takes to race at his level, what a stark change for him. At least he's happy and still skiing some. Harsh.

[Uma]

Poor Bill.

[Dr. Send]

Tanner Hall 20 years from now?

(sorry, I'm bored)

[bossass]

Bill was on the news tonight because he got released. He was smiling and showing off his medal. He has a speech impediment and said he doesn't remember much of the 90s because of his brain injury. His mom was on and said that he was pretty out of it, but very happy. Then the newscast showed his brain mashing crash.
What a bummer. After all the discipline and commitment it takes to race at his level, what a stark change for him. At least he's happy and still skiing some. Harsh.

I saw that. Pretty fucking sad man. I don't think he really knows what he's doing. His mom even said his family wants to get him psychiatric help, but cannot afford it. I think this is true. They are trying to sell like five pairs of his Atomic DH boards on consignment at Hillcrest Sports in Gresham. They are autographed by Bill and they want like $1000 for each pair. It's sad they're that desparete and that nobody really cares enough to pay for something like that. I'll bet there's world cup fans in Europe who would want those skis. Porter Fox has a report from somewhere in Eastern Europe on Powdermag.com where a cabbie in some godforsaken place asks him how Bill Johnson's doing.

[Keoni]

Bill's always been a little cocky, why stop now.

Seriously, it's sad the way things have turned out for him. The couple times I talked to him he was pretty cool.

[The AD]

It sounds like he and Tanya Harding should get together. I mean they both live in the Portland area and it seems like they have a lot in common. Although if he taunted her with his gold medal she'd probably knock him out!

[JR]

A total bummer. I met and raced with him prior to his accident and gold medal and he was a really good shit. He actually gave me a beautiful pair of Yamaha downhills with bindings at a race once because he figured that my bases were slow. We were riding up the lift together and started talking and he told me to drop by the hotel and see him. When I did he just whipped them out and handed them to me. I asked him what he wanted for them and he said all he wanted was to see me give it 110%. I was sponsored by Yamaha at the time and the skis he gave me were nothing like the ones I got from them.

Head injuries suck. He always was a rebel comparable to Canada's Jim Read for antics but the head injury really fucked the guy up. Shit like that truly makes me sad.

[ill-advised strategy]

just thought I'd bump this after reading "ski to die: the bill johnson story", which is worth the time, IMHO.

I understand a lot more of this now, and it is far from as simple as it seemed prior to reading the book.

the whole situation is sad...it seems to me that the sooner his mom is gone the better. I would imagine that with his gold-digging, shithead mother out of the picture people will come out of the woodwork to give him a hand. As it stands people stay away because they don't want to deal with her.

[bklyn]

No Johnson, no peace!

Rallying cry of cougars after last call... coming to a bar near you.

US skiing sucks. The guy represented us, stood on the podium, and they can't help his family with some medical bills?

[glademaster]

US skiing sucks. The guy represented us, stood on the podium, and they can't help his family with some medical bills?

No, because that would be socialism and we all know that socialism is evil.

[mr_gyptian]

Some friends partied with Billy once before the accident and said I'd get along great with him....

I took that to mean he might be a bit over the edge.

he still think's he's married. his wife left him over 15 years ago. I'd say "a bit" might be an understatement.

Hopefully he doesn't get in much trouble. Traumatic Brain injuries such as the one he sustained never let you fully recover. sad to see.

[cj001f]

Outside had an interesting story on him a couple years back:
http://outside.away.com/outside/news...ljohnson_1.adp
All around sad story.