Motorcycle journalist disappears while riding through California
Davey G Johnson was a journalist for Jalopnik and Car and Driver and went missing earlier this week
CALIFORNIAN authorities are currently looking for experienced motoring journalist Davey G. Johnson. He apparently went missing on a motorcycle ride somewhere along California State Route 49 earlier this week.
The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the missing person case to Jalopnik.com have a missing person case in progress. They ask that anyone with information to call the department at (209) 754-6500.
There are posts on social media (see below), claiming he was last heard from around 2 a.m. Wednesday. He was riding a black Honda CB1000R press bike on Route 40 between Placerville and Mariposa. The last ping on his mobile (when I mobile hooks onto a cell-tower it notifies the cell company of the location) was in Amador County around 8am on Wednesday.
The Following the Instagram thread of a friend of Daveys, the following updates have been posted:
UPDATE: 2:14pm PT, Saturday, June 8: The Calaveras Sheriff has confirmed that they have found Davey's clothes, laptop, and cellphone near the river. His wallet is missing. If anyone has any info on his cellphone carrier and/or banking/CC details please DM me or Abby Bassett. The Sheriff is looking to see if the cards have been used.
UPDATE: 12:17 AM PT Saturday, June 8: THE POLICE HAVE FOUND THE BIKE -- Parked outside rest stop on RT 49 near Mokelumne Hill. Davey's backpack, computer and phone are not there, but the bike has been found. The Calaveras County Sheriff is planning a search and rescue starting Saturday morning to look for Davey.
UPDATE: @livemotofoto stopped by the command center at 10:05am, and got this info: Calaveras county and 7 other agencies have 45 searchers combing the river and surrounding landscape where accessible with ATVs and off-road vehicles. The agency search window is from the Bridge on route 49 crossing the Molkumne River down to Pardee Recreation Center. The helicopter flew over this morning and will return again to canvass the area. K9s can grab a scent even if an individual exits the water but so far they have not picked up a trail. The sheriffs department also found additional clothes by the rivers edge this morning but would not specify what the articles of clothing were.
UPDATE: 8:55 PM PT, Sunday, June 9: Search and rescue will continue tomorrow. The Calaveras Sheriff's Department (and all the agencies now involved) are going to widen their search area, focusing mainly on the water (North Fork of the Mokelumne River near where Davey's motorcycle was found parked), and the nearby highway (Rt 49).
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
