The fiancée of veteran automotive journalist who went missing on June 5 while test-driving a motorcycle for a story is worried he drowned while swimming in a river during a pit stop on his way home.
Car and Driver contributor Davey G Johnson was last heard from at 8.30am Wednesday when he texted a friend that he was sitting near water by the Sonora Pass while he prepared to wrap up his research for a piece on the Honda CB1000R for Motorcyclist magazine.
Calaveras County Lt. Anthony Eberhardt said crews were searching the Mokelumne River and a reservoir near the town of Mokelumne Hill for Johnson, while Eberhardt said no foul play is suspected.
Authorities used boats and drones to search the Northern California river on Monday.
‘He was probably swept away in the river,’ his fiancée, Jacklyn Trop, told ABC News. ‘The detective said the current has never been so fast and so high. He’s not really an experienced swimmer.’
The fiancée of veteran automotive journalist Davey G Johnson, 44, who went missing on June 5 while test-driving a Honda CB1000R motorcycle for Motorcycle magazine is worried he drowned while swimming the Mokelumne River during a pit stop on his way home to Sacramento
Trop said Johnson was heading home to Sacarmento after what was supposed to be only week-long trip for an upcoming article, and that she and a friend last heard from him early on Wednesday, when he texted them.
Johnson’s text to Trop read, ‘I left the summit about dark, which had me worried about ice so I was going on no miles an hour for a while, and then I was just so tired that I stopped to rest a few times.
‘But I had a great time before it got dark. That part of the Sierra is just stupidly spectacular. Anyway, I’m so sorry I worried you. Yes, I’m okay and alive, but I am WIPED. I love you very much, Jaclyn Sara Trop!’
Jacklyn Trop (left) and Johnson (right) had spent the previous weekend together riding around Los Angeles on the same bike he was testing on this trip. They went their separate ways on Sunday as Trop flew to Florida and Johnson took the bike to Las Vegas. On Tuesday he took off for Mammoth, California, and was driving through the Sonora Pass that evening. The bike was recovered from a rest stop near Mokelumne Hill on Saturday morning, and his clothes and belongings were found hours later near the water
Calaveras County Lt. Anthony Eberhardt said the river is at a high flow and moving at a rate of 35 mph (56 kph). Officials have warned the state’s waterways are running cold and fast as the state’s massive snowpack begins to melt and pour water into rivers and creeks
Friend and industry colleague Julia LePalme said Johnson is especially adamant about remaining in contact with others while on a road trip by himself. ‘He is an avid motorcyclist. He was probably exhausted and fatigued and suffering from elevation sickness,’ LePalme said. ‘He’s a road warrior. He loves these road trips.’ A file photo of a Honda CB1000R is shown
A few hours later he texted a friend and sent him a photo of himself in the river, she said. He was reported missing later that day to Sacramento authorities.
The motorcycle Johnson was riding was found parked by a rest stop on California Route 49 near the town with his helmet on top and gloves folded inside just after midnight on Saturday.
Hours later police found Johnson’s clothes, laptop and cell phone near the banks of the Mokelumne River.
Eberhardt said the river is at a high flow and moving at a rate of 35 mph (56 kph).
Officials have warned the state’s waterways are running cold and fast as the state’s massive snowpack begins to melt and pour water into rivers and creeks.
Johnson’s wallet still has not been recovered as police are waiting to see if anyone uses his bank cards.
Trop and Johnson had planned to publicly announce that they had gotten engaged next week, she said, and had plans to take cruise on the Queen Mary 2
Jonny Lieberman, senior features editor at Motor Trend, who met Johnson in 2002 and worked with him at the Jalopnik auto review website, described Johnson as at the top of his game, both professionally and personally. ‘He told me he had never been happier and he had the perfect girlfriend,’ Lieberman said. ‘Everything was going his way”
Trop and Johnson had planned to publicly announce that they had gotten engaged next week, she said, and had plans to take cruise on the Queen Mary 2.
‘He’s just incredible. Like magic. There’s no one like him,’ she said.
‘I just really hope he’s alive, because thinking about the alternative yesterday was . . . I don’t even have words for it,’ Trop told Car and Driver over the weekend.
‘I was completely gutted, and I would still feel that way if they hadn’t found the bike.’
Trop and Johnson had spent the previous weekend together riding around Los Angeles on the same bike he was testing on this trip.
They went their separate ways on Sunday as Trop flew to Florida and Johnson took the bike to Las Vegas.
On Tuesday he took off for Mammoth, California, and was driving through the Sonora Pass that evening.
Over Saturday and Sunday, a team of about 40 people and six dogs searched the Calaveras County region off Highway 49 looking for clues, using two boats and a helicopter, Trop said. She added that she had trouble getting police to take her missing-person report seriously, and that it took close to eight hours to convince them to trace his phone
Johnson’s phone last pinged a cell tower in Amador County.
Jonny Lieberman, senior features editor at Motor Trend, who met Johnson in 2002 and worked with him at the Jalopnik auto review website, described Johnson as at the top of his game, both professionally and personally.
‘He told me he had never been happier and he had the perfect girlfriend,’ Lieberman said. ‘Everything was going his way.”
Trop said she didn’t hear from Johnson for about 12 hours before he messaged her around 2am Wednesday and apologized for not reaching out.
Friend and industry colleague Julia LePalme said Johnson is especially adamant about remaining in contact with others while on a road trip by himself.
‘He is an avid motorcyclist. He was probably exhausted and fatigued and suffering from elevation sickness,’ LePalme said. ‘He’s a road warrior. He loves these road trips.’
Authorities began searching for Johnson on Saturday morning, one day after he was due to arrive at his home in Sacramento County.
Over Saturday and Sunday, a team of about 40 people and six dogs searched the Calaveras County region off Highway 49 looking for clues, using two boats and a helicopter, Trop said.
She added that she had trouble getting police to take her missing-person report seriously, and that it took close to eight hours to convince them to trace his phone.
Police have asked anyone with information to contact the Calaveras County Sheriff at (209) 754-6500.
Loved ones are holding out hope that Johnson will be found safe. . Police have asked anyone with information to contact the Calaveras County Sheriff at (209) 754-6500