Found Deceased CA - Davey Johnson, Moto Journalist, Disappears On Motorcycle Trip, CA Route 49, 5 June 2019

[dotr]

Moto Journalist Davey G. Johnson Disappears On Motorcycle Trip
"Davey was returning to his Sacramento, California, home from around Mammoth, California along California Route 49 when he disappeared. Social media posts by friends and colleagues state that Davey was last heard from on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 around 02:00. He was riding a black Honda CBR1000R press bike with manufacturer plate 3421. The last ping from his cell phone was around 08:00 in Amador County.

A little after midnight on Saturday, June 8, 2019, police found the bike at a motorcycle rest stop off Rt. 49. Unfortunately, Davey was nowhere to be found and his backpack, phone, and laptop were also missing. Authorities have opened a missing persons case and a search of the area is underway. If anyone sees Davey or hears about seeing Davey, please call the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office at (209) 754-6500 and let them know. "

 

[pinball]

Veteran automotive journalist and Car and Driver contributor Davey G. Johnson has been missing since Wednesday, June 5, after he rode through the Sonora Pass in northern California. He was last heard from at 8:30 a.m., when he texted a friend to say he was sitting near a creek, en route home.

Just after midnight Saturday, the motorcycle Davey was riding was found parked on its kickstand by a rest stop on California Route 49 near Mokelumne Hill, with his helmet resting on top and his gloves folded neatly inside.

Around 8:30 a.m. Pacific time on Wednesday, Johnson sent a friend pictures of a stream that he was sitting near and said he was on his way home. He did not describe the location of the creek.

Police began searching for Johnson on Saturday morning, 72 hours after his phone last pinged a cell tower in Amador County. Trop said it was difficult to get police to take her missing-person report seriously at first and that it took close to eight hours to convince them to trace his cellphone.

Missing Person: Davey G. Johnson Missing in Northern California

 

[dotr]

https://jalopnik.com/davey-g-johnson-veteran-of-car-and-driver-and-jalopni-1835345304

"According to social media posts from Davey’s friends, he was last heard from around 2 a.m. Wednesday. He was riding a black Honda CB1000R press loaner motorcycle with manufacturer license plate 3421 somewhere along Route 49.

He was headed toward his home in Sacramento from the Mammoth area. The last ping from his cell phone was in Amador County around 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Additionally, a little after midnight today police located the motorcycle at a rest area off Route 49, but not Davey, his backpack or his computer. A search is ongoing today.

Davey wrote for Jalopnik in its most formative years, between 2005 and 2007, and is one of the key people who helped establish this website’s voice. He has gone on to have bylines at some of the biggest car and motorcycle publications in the country, and is a trusted, respected friend to many of our staffers and other members of the close-knit automotive journalist community. All of us are hoping for his safe return."

 

[dotr]

Help Us Find Renowned Automotive Journalist Davey G. Johnson
"He was last heard from this past Wednesday riding a black Honda CB1000R."
Currently, the California Highway Patrol, local Forest Rangers, and a handful of friends from the automotive community with specialized training near San Francisco and Sacramento have begun a search and rescue operation. Authorities have closed off the area where Johnson was last seen and search and rescue have a helicopter in the air. Canine units will be employed when they become available.

According to the latest update, his smartphone was last pinged somewhere on Highway 49 in Amador County, leading local police to the black Honda motorcycle, parked at a rest stop on Route 49 near Mokelumne Hill.

Google Maps
The authorities have asked all personnel to vacate the area who don't have specialized EMT or Search and Rescue training as they don't wish to cause a secondary Search and Rescue operation and take away from the search for Johnson.

We are asking anyone who’s in the area of Amador County to please keep an eye out for anything that could indicate his last known location within the area or if anyone has any information as to his whereabouts, to please contact the Amador County Sherriff's Office (209-223-6500), the Calaveras Sheriff's Department (209-754-6500), or the Jackson Police Department (209-223-1771).

 

[DarkChii]

I'll be honest, when I first heard about him going missing late yesterday from a friend of his, I was worried he was in an accident when he was going over Sonora Pass.

As a motorcyclist, its really odd to find the bike just sitting. I have to wonder what shape they found it in, does it have gas, or any notable mechanical or physical issues? Its not his personal bike, but a test one, so I could see leaving it behind if your having issues. That still leaves us wondering where he went with his backpack, laptop and cell.

 

[Herat]

Twitter update posted on the Jalopnik site as of this afternoon:

Update on Davey Johnson: We have confirmed with the Calaveras Sheriff's Dept that they have found his clothing, phone, and computer near the river. Missing his wallet. Please DM with any info about cell carrier.
2:13 PM - Jun 8, 2019

Same info on Instagram.

 

[human]

Wow.

 

[Herat]

Edited; His motorcycle was found at rest area off of Highway 49.

I can see a boat launch area at Butte Canyon where 49 crosses the North Fork of the Mokulumne River. And the water in the creek he was hearing would be snow-melt cold and running high.

I'm very concerned he decided to bathe in the stream or and fell in.

I don't know if this is where he stopped, but this would have a turnout and is next to the river

Google Maps

 

[human]

Clothing he was wearing was found or clothing in his back pack? Was his back pack opened and scattered?

If the clothing he was wearing was found but no wallet, that brings a different scenario.

The clothing he was wearing would be socks, underwear, jacket.

 

[modesty blaise]

Maybe an accident by the stream or suicide?

 

[Herat]

Maybe down the river access road?

Google Maps

 

[whitelilac]

How far is the location where his belongings were found near the river from the rest stop where his bike was found? Is that larger building on the google map the rest stop? Why wouldn't he take his bike with him closer to the river. Looks as though it's fairly open and there are trails. With people stopping at the rest stop, he would risk having it stolen.

 

[Herat]

How far is the location where his belongings were found near the river from the rest stop where his bike was found? Is that larger building on the google map the rest stop? Why wouldn't he take his bike with him closer to the river. Looks as though it's fairly open and there are trails. With people stopping at the rest stop, he would risk having it stolen.

I'm not really sure that's the rest stop. The road next to the Mokelumne River is at the edge of the Calaveras County Search and Rescue Map upthread, so that may not be it.

The large building to the east of the river is a private home on a bluff, I think. I don't see any road signs that indicate there is a Rest Stop at that intersection

Maybe someone else can show us on the map

 

[pinball]

Haven't been able to pin it down exactly but, as he got his BA in '98, Johnson is in the vicinity of 42 years of age.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveyg

 

[dotr]

Read more here: Authorities continue search for missing Sacramento County man in Calaveras County

Haven't been able to pin it down exactly but, as he got his BA in '98, Johnson is in the vicinity of 42 years of age.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveyg

Thanks for that, good thinking- had tried to find his age but could not find it.

 

[LadyL]

I think suicide is probable. Weird about the wallet though. Someone who would steal his wallet would be likely to take the laptop and phone too.

 

[pinball]

I think suicide is probable.

Why do you say that? I tend to agree as life has a way of catching up with you in your early 40s, but can you be more specific?

 

[Herat]

I don't think suicide is likely. He was in contact with family. Why would he put them through all the uncertainty and worry?

I think he more likely went into the water to bathe or clean up and got swept away.

 

[Steelslady]

I know that the ocean is freezing out in California- I never expected it to be so cold in a warm area like Santa Barbara.

I wonder if this stream was cold, too? I am thinking he could have waded in it, slipped on a rock, and hit head head, possibly went unconscious.

I don't feel this was a suicide, for some reason, but an accident. The wallet could be in his pants pocket with him. I am assuming he had more than one pair of pants, shirt, etc.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

“MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Lieutenant Anthony Eberhardt
Release Date: June 8, 2019
Release Time: 2:30 PM [PDT]
Missing Person

[SBM]

Missing Person David Gordon Johnson

(Mokelumne Hill, CA) On June 7, 2019, at about 8:00 PM, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office received a missing person report out of Sacramento County for 44-year old David Gordon Johnson. David Johnson was reported to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, as a missing person. Law Enforcement learned of a possible location at Big Bar River Access near the town of Mokelumne Hill in Calaveras County. The California Highway Patrol responded to the area and located his motorcycle parked.

Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office responded and searched the area with negative results. Calaveras County Search and Rescue was activated and are expanding the search. Amador County Search and Rescue, Calaveras County Marine Safety Division, and the California Highway Patrol H20 are providing additional resources in an effort to locate the missing person. Additional resources are being requested through OES for ground resources. Search efforts are continuing.

Anybody with information on the whereabouts of David Gordon Johnson is urged to contact the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Department at 209-754-6500.

David Gordon Johnson (DOB 12/04/1975)

Address/Location
Calaveras County Sheriff's Office
Jeff Tuttle Dr
San Andreas, CA 95249

Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 209-754-6500” (underlined by me)
MEDIA RELEASE Contact: Lieutenant Anthony Eberhardt Release Date: June 8, 2019 Release ... from Calaveras County Sheriff's Office : Nixle

From the Modesto Bee article posted above by dotr:
“The missing man also is known as Davey G. Johnson and is a contributor to Car and Driver magazine, according to an article from the magazine about Johnson’s disappearance.” (BBM)
Authorities continue search for missing Sacramento County man in Calaveras County