Rider’s ‘reckless’ ways revealed on YouTube
A LAUNCESTON man who posted GoPro videos of himself riding his motorbike on YouTube died as a result of risk-taking behaviour, a coroner has found.
Rowyn Jake Johnson, a 29-yearold father of four, was thrown from his high-powered Kawasaki on August 2 last year, dying at the scene after riding unlicensed “at high speed and in a dangerous manner”.
In his findings released on Tuesday, Coroner Andrew McKee said the carpet layer had apparently been riding dirt bikes since he was four, but had never obtained a motorcycle licence and had a “blase attitude” about doing so.
In May last year, Mr Johnson bought a black 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 SX motorcycle on Gumtree, always wearing a GoPro attached to the side of his helmet when riding it.
He then uploaded footage of himself riding the bike to his YouTube channel.
“A consideration of that footage indicates that Mr Johnson rode his motorcycle in a reckless manner contrary to the road rules of this state,” Mr McKee said.
“He rode his motorcycle in such a manner that he placed himself and other persons lawfully using the roadways at risk.”
The coroner said on the night before his death, Mr Johnson rode between Deloraine, Longford and Launceston to have drinks with his brother and some friends.
He took a pillion passenger from Longford to the Commercial Hotel in Launceston, riding at speeds between 150km/h and 160km/h while under the influence of alcohol.
At the intersection of Patterson and Wellington streets, Mr Johnson entered the turning lane and drove through the intersection at a speed of at least 99km/h against the red traffic light.
He then collided with a man driving a Suzuki hatch, with the man’s car rotating and crashing into a traffic pole. His motorbike became airborne before colliding with a stone fence, with Mr Johnson thrown over the car and into the traffic pole. Mr McKee said Mr Johnson died at the scene from multiple severe trauma.
A crash scene investigator said Mr Johnson’s YouTube videos provided evidence that he regularly engaged in risk-taking behaviour, travelling at high speeds and overtaking other vehicles in an unsafe manner.