The body of missing car journalist David Johnson was found in Northern California, according to a report.
Johnson’s body, namely, was discovered in the Mokelumne River about two weeks after he was reported missing, Fox News reported. His belongings were found in Mokelumne Hill about two days later.
A multi-agency search and rescue operation began June 8 and ended earlier this week.
FOX NEWS: Body of missing journalist David Johnson found in river, family says https://t.co/yM4by04997 pic.twitter.com/glWLchkgBf
— outsidetheknow (@outsidetheknow) June 21, 2019
The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and its Marine Safety Unit kept looking for him in the area, Fox reported.
The news about Johnson’s body was announced by Abigail Bassett, his friend. She had been asking as a spokeswoman for his family amid the search.
Large scale search efforts for missing journalist David Johnson suspended https://t.co/lyPZMcvgyw
— ABC10 (@ABC10) June 18, 2019
The sheriff’s office hasn’t released any details about the find.
Johnson worked as a photographer and writer, and his work appeared in “Motorcyclist” and “Car & Driver.”
Bassett said Johnson’s family will share more details in the coming days.
I’ve tried a few times to put a few words down about Davey Johnson over the past week and every time deleted them because the they just looked so inadequate on the screen. Thankful that @stevenewing and the rest of the team have done a far better job. https://t.co/pRv6oPkRLQ
— Tim Stevens (@Tim_Stevens) June 21, 2019
According to Autoblog, no foul play was suspected in his disappearance. It reported that he was on his way home to Sacramento, California, after riding a motorcycle as a test-drive for an article.
The motorcycle was found near the Mokelumne River in rural Calaveras County. The key to the bike was left in the ignition, and his helmet and gloves were left on the seat.
“With all evidence pointing towards Mr. Johnson having gone into the Mokelumne River for unknown reasons, and with no evidence of foul play, search efforts have continued in the subsequent days along the river’s edge,” sheriff’s officials said.
Officials also said that his last known message as to his girlfriend, according to the car website.
“He is so full of life and I’ve just never met anyone like him,” Jaclyn Trop, an automotive journalist and girlfriend, told CBS This Morning earlier this month. “There are just so many questions.”
In a tribute for Johnson, CNET’s Steven Ewing eulogized him.
“I first met Davey Johnson when he wrote for Jalopnik, arguably during the site’s heyday. He was funny and irreverent and we found an immediate rapport. We liked the same music, we liked the same cars. We would bum each other’s cigarettes outside auto shows and debate whether Bivouac or 24 Hour Revenge Therapy was Jawbreaker’s best album. In the 13 years I knew him, Davey never once called me by my first name, greeting me with the same nod and ‘Mr. Ewing’ every time,” he wrote. “After establishing his name—and voice—at Jalopnik, Davey wrote for Autoweek and Car and Driver, where he published some of the best stories I’ve ever read. I always wanted to hire him someday.”
