Caran Johnson accidentally live tweets husband's fatal car crash

A Washington woman has accidentally live-tweeted her husband's death in a car crash.

Craig Johnson, 47, died in a two-car collision on a southbound freeway in Padden Parkway, Vancouver, Washington state, yesterday afteoon, reports The Columbian.

His wife Caran, who is well known among local media outlets for tweeting about traffic incidents and news events, began tweeting about the accident using the Twitter handle @ScanCouver.

The Columbian's staff photographer, Zachary Kaufman, who was at the scene of the collision, said there was "lots of debris on [the] roadway".

As the afteoon wore on, she tweeted about her growing conce for her husband who was late arriving home. News.com.au spoke to local reporter Patty Hastings who confirmed the story "is true".

Ms Hastings said that Ms Johnson was a friend of the newsroom and frequently reported on breaking traffic news via Twitter.

Death of @ScanCouver's hubby has shaken @thecolumbian. Acquainted by tweets, she's been our companion on lonely days/nights in newsroom. — Paris Achen (@col_courts) December 5, 2013

Her husband "appeared to be the breadwinner of the family," said Ms Hastings.

Here's how it unfolded:

Craig R Johnson died in a two-car collision on a Vancouver freeway on Wednesday afteoon. Picture: Washington State Police Patrol. Source: Supplied

Emergency responders are on the way to a 2-car collision on I-205 SB near 83rd Street. Move over for them and give them some room. #VanWa — WSDOT - SW Region (@wsdot_sw) December 4, 2013

#Clark911 #pdxtraffic Sounds like this is a two-car accident on I-205. One of the cars rolled. — Columbian Metrodesk (@Col_cops) December 4, 2013

@Col_cops i hate that section of I205 S. too many on ramps, speeders and too few lanes. — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

@troyglidden @Col_cops this accident sounds horrible. — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

#Clark911 #pdxtraffic One confirmed fatality in I-205 accident says @wspd5pio — Columbian Metrodesk (@Col_cops) December 4, 2013

@Col_cops @wspd5pio omg that is so horrible!!! — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

nice, two vehicles went around officer blocking onramp to I205S. lame-o's! — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

I'm trying not to panic, but my husband left work early and he drives 205 to get home. he's not answering his phone. — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

and he's late. — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

@KF7PSC well he uses his bluetooth, so he would answer his phone. he also wasn't feeling good so his work was conceed when he left — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

i'm a basketcase — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

I just called his work and he was feeling faint when he left work. #panic — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

what do i do now? he might have pulled over because he was feeling faint and then passed out or had a seizure. he has epilepsy — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

how long do i wait for him to come home before I call the police? — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

@JKCline86 @troyglidden thank you. i'm freaking out now — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

it's him. he died — CJ (@ScanCouver) December 4, 2013

In a shocking development, local woman April Sturdevant tweeted Ms Johnson in a desperate bid to contact her to pass on "words of comfort".

Ms Sturdevant said she had been at the scene of the accident and had been with Mr Johnson during his "last breath".

@ScanCouver II was with your husband from the moment the start of the accident until his last breath,he felt no pain and he was at peace — April Sturdevant (@April_78) December 5, 2013

@ScanCouver I have dedicated last four hours trying to find you,I was with your husband for his last breath I have words of comfort for you — April Sturdevant (@April_78) December 5, 2013

The second driver was taken to hospital.

The crash is under investigation by the State Patrol.

Ms Johnson is well-known for live-tweeting, so much so she became the subject of a storyon her Twitter feed by the Associated Press in January.

"I just have some kind of fascination of listening in to the secret world of the scanner that not everyone gets to hear," said Johnson.

"It gets kind of depressing...I try and maintain a positive attitude."

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