Motocross Racer Jonathan Mayzak Killed By Impaired Driver

AMA Pro Motocross rider Jonathan Mayzak died Monday August 12, 2019 from injuries received when he was hit by a car. He was 20 years old. Without warning, Mayzak was struck on Route 8 by a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed with its lights off. He didn’t die at the scene, but it was immediately clear that he was seriously injured.

Help Riders After Accidents:

How To Respond To A Motorcycle Accident

When Is It Safe To Move A Crashed Rider?

Jonathan’s brother Matthew Mayzak saw it happen. 

“I was about to start walking, he said ‘hold on’ and grabbed me and said, ‘there's a car coming, Mayzak told WKTV. “So he looked left, waited for the car to pass, he looked right, there was no car coming behind that that we could see. He took two steps out. He got hit. It was so close, I tried to grab him, I had his shirt in my hand. The car barely missed me, It had no lights on and there was just nothing we could do, on impact he was gone.”

Jonathan Mayzak was rushed to the hospital, where he remained until Sunday morning as a result of his injuries. That’s when his family made the incredibly difficult decision to remove him from life support.

Police later determined that the driver, Edward Burnett, 31, was driving while under the influence of drugs when he hit Mayzak. A full toxicology report will not be available for a couple of weeks. 

Burnett was also driving with two children under the age of 15 in the car. He was charged with two counts of driving while ability impaired (DWAI) with a child 15 or under as a passenger, and also with second-degree vehicular assault for hitting Mayzak. According to WKTV, additional charges may be pending based on those toxicology results. 

Jonathan Mayzak began racing at an amateur level in 2006, and became a professional motocross racer in 2016. In his life outside of racing, he also had plans to get married in October. Friends and family (including his motocross family) remember him as being a kind and generous man, and we at RideApart are incredibly sorry for their loss. 

The Mayzak family has a GoFundMe set up to help with funeral expenses, if you wish to donate.

Sources: Lucas Oil Pro Motocross, WKTV