Habitual traffic offender arrested after a crash kills motorcyclist

Yesterday evening, December 26, 2019 at about 5:43 p.m., Historic City News was informed of the third St Johns County traffic fatality in as many days by a spokesman for Florida Highway Patrol Troop G.  

Charged with being a habitual traffic offender and driving while license revoked, was 31-year-old Justin C Wilbur; whose last known address was 7515 SR-13 North in Saint Augustine.  He was released from custody this afternoon after posting $2,500 bond in the third-degree felony case.  

Wilbur is not charged with causing the crash, only being involved in it.  

According to the report, 24-year-old John Fitzgerald Johnson of Jacksonville was driving a 2006 Suzuki GSX motorcycle; traveling southbound on SR-13 in the same direction behind Wilbur’s 1998 Ford F-150 pickup truck.  

Wilbur slowed to make a left turn onto Braaschville Road, slowing other southbound traffic on the highway as he made the left turn.  For unknown reasons, Johnson, who was not wearing a helmet, veered into the northbound lane and accelerated past the slowed traffic. 

The front of Johnson’s Suzuki collided against Wilbur’s left rear side with sufficient force that Johnson was thrown from the motorcycle. He struck the ground coming to a final rest, face up, according to the crash report.  The Suzuki slid on its left side and came to a final rest facing in a westerly direction.    

Wilbur, who was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash, brought the pickup truck to a controlled stop on Braaschville Road facing in an easterly direction. 

Johnson was transported to Orange Park Medical Center, where he died.  No injuries were reported to Wilbur.  An unreported amount of damage was sustained by the pickup truck.