Aisha Lacarol Johnson, a 30-year-old Black woman from Center Point, Alabama, was killed in a violent collision in the early morning hours of June 12, 2021. Just after 1:30 a.m. in Birmingham, the GMC Yukon in which she was a passenger was exiting Interstate 59 North onto 4th Avenue South. A Chrysler 300 crashed into the Yukon, and the force of the impact caused the SUV to overturn multiple times.
Aisha was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Chrysler was identified as Jimmaris Lamar Cooks. An investigation by law enforcement concluded that Cooks was allegedly operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol at the time of the fatal crash. He was taken into custody and initially charged with criminally negligent homicide in connection with Aisha’s death. He was later released after posting a $15,000 bond.
The case saw a significant development approximately eight months later. In February 2022, authorities issued a statewide alert for the whereabouts of Jimmaris Lamar Cooks to ensure he would face the charges against him.
Following his apprehension, the charges against Cooks were upgraded. He ultimately pleaded guilty to the murder of Aisha Johnson. As a result of his guilty plea, Jimmaris Lamar Cooks was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison. The case is now considered closed.
