‘Justice. Consequences’

Janene Johns quietly wept Wednesday as jurors announced they had found her guilty of killing Costa Mesa teacher Candace Tift in a car accident two years ago.

Moments later when Johns’ daughter, Lauren, heard the news she howled in shock and fell into sobs herself as she hugged her mother before she was led off into custody.

“I love you,” she cried. “I can’t live without you.”

Meanwhile, Tift’s family members celebrated the verdict and several cried with joy.

“I think when all of us heard the verdict read it felt like a weight lifted,” said Candace’s sister, Amy Collins.

Johns, 53, of Irvine was found guilty on all counts after hitting Tift with her Lexus Aug. 23, 2006 as Tift was riding her bike down West Coast Highway.

Prosecutors said Johns had fallen asleep at the wheel after taking a cocktail of prescription drugs Xanax, Ambien sleeping pills and cough medicine when she hit Tift.

Johns was found guilty of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence and causing great bodily injury.

She faces up to 10 years in prison when she is scheduled to be sentenced July 18.

Candace’s mother, Mary Logan, felt some comfort when the verdict was read.

“My first thought was ‘Justice. Consequences for your actions,’” Logan said. “I feel sorry for her children. They lost their dad, and now their mom went through this. I feel sorry for the pain Janene Johns has put her children through.”

“But she chose to drive that day; she chose to take those pills; she chose to act irresponsibly; and now there’s consequences for her actions,” she added.

Defense attorney Gary Pohlson was stunned at the verdict, telling Johns’ son, Andrew, he had no idea how they could find her guilty of the charges. He thought a conviction on lesser charges was more likely, he said.

“This was the most disappointing verdict I have ever had in my career,” Pohlson said.

Johns’ defense tried to argue that she was so grief-stricken by the death of her husband weeks before the accident that she was in an unconscious state when the accident happened, meaning she was not liable. Two psychiatrists testified on behalf of the defense that Johns was possibly unaware she was driving, a symptom of an acute stress disorder.

“It sounds like the jury didn’t buy it,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Mestman. “I thought it was the proper verdict, justice was served.”

“We’re just still kind of in shock. This whole trial, it was like reliving the accident all over again,” Collins said. “It won’t get any easier. This is one part of it for us. The real tragedy in all of this is [Candace’s 3-year-old son] Owen. No, this doesn’t give us closure. Seeing her convicted is one small piece of it.”

Members of the Johns and Tift families rarely, if ever, spoke during the trial. After the verdict, while Tift’s friends and family embraced outside the courtroom, Johns’ supporters grieved inside it.

Johns’ family, expressing disbelief among themselves, declined to comment Wednesday.

Johns is in custody in Orange County jail. She faces anywhere from probation with no additional jail time to 10 years in prison, Mestman said. Pohlson said the family will likely appeal the verdict.

VOICES

“I felt good about the case, I was confident she was guilty. My worry was how the jury would consider all this evidence about the defendant’s mental problems. But they were able to put them aside for their limited purpose and reach a fair verdict.”

Robert Mestman

Deputy Dist. Atty.

“It’s been a journey I’d never wish upon anyone. ... My daughter’s death will never be closed. I miss her every second of every day. I see a baby without a mother every day. I see a child that had his mother ripped out of his arms when he was 14 months old. ... Is there closure? No. Will I live with it? Yeah.”

Mary Logan

Candace Tift’s mom

“Obviously, this isn’t going to bring her back. Just to know that the person who did this is going to be held responsible and accountable for her actions gives us a little bit of [solace]. ... Of course I feel sorry for [Johns’ family]. Their mom put them in this position. Of course I feel bad for them. It’s just a horrible situation for everyone involved.”

Amy Collins

Candace Tift’s sister

TIMELINE

Aug. 23, 2006

 Irvine resident Janene Johns’ Lexus swerves off West Coast Highway at 7:37 p.m. and strikes Costa Mesa resident Candace Tift, 31. Johns, then 52, was arrested on DUI suspicion.

Aug. 24, 2006

 Tift, an Eastbluff Elementary teacher, dies at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Aug. 31, 2006

 Friends and family attend Tift’s funeral at Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church.

Feb. 15, 2007

 Candace’s husband, Wade Tift, and mother, Mary Logan, find some solace on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” where they believe a medium contacted Candace.

June 11, 2007

 Johns pleads not guilty to charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and driving under the influence.

May 11, 2008

 Trial begins after judge OKs psychiatrist’s testimony that Johns, who during the crash was on a cocktail of medication and grieving her husband’s death, may have been mentally unconscious while she was driving.

May 14, 2008

 Johns’ teary-eyed family testifies to her erratic acts in days before the crash, saying she threatened to kill herself with a large knife and withdrew $50,000 cash for a believed disaster.

May 21, 2008

 Johns is found guilty of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, causing great bodily injury and driving under the influence.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.