Posted by tpritchard on May 30, 2007 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I love you Jonny V and always will. RIP my dear friend, you were a great guy and I will never forget you!

Posted by collegestudentforlife on May 30, 2007 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

YRMOM, I don't think you should make the assumption that he was driving drunk. Yes, he was at a bar, but that doesn't mean he was intoxicated, and you should be especially careful to avoid assumptions like that when CHP officials don't know what happened.

Posted by busymommy on May 30, 2007 at 12:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lets be real collegestudentforlife. he was at a bar at midnight he wasnt sipping water. everyone knows that he was of age. maybe he wasnt drunk but he probably was intoxicated and drove on a dangerous rode. i am sure it was an accident but lets be real

Posted by Comments on May 30, 2007 at 1:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Er Nikkigill, perhaps in your life you would never sit at a bar and sip water but some of us do. I've been to bars plenty of times where I did not drink because I was driving. Alternatively my husband often didn't drink when we'd go out since he was the designated driver. So, while he might have been drinking, there is no evidence of that in this story. Until and unless there is it only seems respectful to leave the speculation aside and simply mourn the loss of a young life and be grateful that no other lives were lost.

Posted by collegestudentforlife on May 30, 2007 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You know, I'm 24 years, a college student, and I often go out to bars with friends -- and if I don't have a ride, I don't drink. It's as simple as that. And guess what? There are plenty of times where I've left a bar to go to a friend's house and hang out more, and even then I don't drink. Maybe I'm one of those rare birds. Whatever it is, I'm not disputing the fact that he might've been drinking; I'm simply saying until it's certain that this is what happened, people should have enough respect for him and his life to refrain from making damaging statements like that.

Posted by bugmenot on May 30, 2007 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I've known 5 Nikki's and they were all very promiscuous. Do you always stereotype?

Posted by bwillingham on May 30, 2007 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Jonny, my friend and brother, we will all miss you. I love you. For all of the negative comments, try to have some class. Jon has a family and friends that love him and are very distraught over this......

Posted by busymommy on May 30, 2007 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bugmenot you are starting a war with the wrong person. I was in no way trying to be disrespectful to this man and his family. It was a terrible accident. I know that there are people who go to bars and dont drink if they are the designated driver, I have many times. However to go to a bar and leave alone and continue to go out well past 2 am leads someone to believe that they were not done partying. And if people were reading what I wrote I did not state that he was drunk. Someone with one drink loses judgement. Thats all I was stating. You mix and alcohol and a windy road and terrible things like this happen.

Posted by ms_brandi on May 30, 2007 at 9:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i hate to come to a site like this and see some people that write nasty comments that are nothing but assumtions. i was there when the family found Jonathon. i watched how hard it was for his mom and lil' brother see somthing so tragic and not know whether or not he was in there or if he was alive. i was flagged down by mikey and jonathon's mom, and was able to give some help as to where they were in the mountains. i am so very sorry for your loss. people who have something to say...if its not anything nice do not say it at all. yes he may have left a bar, but do not assume until you have the facts. i drive that canyon everyday and there have been plenty of people who have lost control of their car. there could be many factors as to what happened. this family just lost their son. have a little bit of decency. to the family that i did meet, christina,mikey,sarah and jonathons little brother..take care and you guys will be in our thoughts......brandi

Posted by jazziedance on May 30, 2007 at 9:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I met Johnny saturday nite at Bogies. He was a very nice guy, a true gentlemen, was not drunk, or for that matter, drinking a lot at all. We hung out, chatted, laughed, I found him to be full of life and a really cool guy. I am extremely saddened by what happened and my heart goes out to his family. People should not assume just because he was at a bar that he got behind the wheel drunk. I had one drink and then coffee, so my judgement of character of him was pure and real. I am so sorry this has happened.
Love and prayers
JazzieDance

Posted by malibu77 on May 31, 2007 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I drive this same road every day to and from work. On this particular curve deer frequently cross the road. I have had to slam on my breaks a couple of times to avoid hitting them. I would not be suprised if a deer was a factor in this tragedy.

Posted by Briarrose41399 on May 31, 2007 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am a good friend of Jonathan's mother, Aileen. No need to slam people back and forth here. She lost her only son, no he did not have a little brother as someone said above. The pain she is feeling should not be exascerbated by people's assumptions. THERE ARE NO GUARDRAILS ON MOST OF MULHOLLAND HIGHWAY! WHY! We should have that changed. I hit a patch of dirt on the road and spun out with my 8 year old in the car. I was not drunk. I decided never to drive that road again ever. The County should get involved in putting rails on this dangerous life-taking road. Jonathan was a wonderful man. He cared about people. We should care too!

Posted by funkyjunky65074 on June 1, 2007 at 10:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I can only imagine the stomach wrenching sickness of finding your own child dead. I truly feel for the mother and family of this young man.
My own sister-in-law dropped dead at 31 years old in a bar. Everyone made the assumption that it was drugs. She actually died of a very rare disease of the heart that even her own doctor missed that same week when he prescibed her an inhaler for what he thought was asthma.

Never just assume you know because you do not and you cause so many people pain by expressing your assumption for the world to read!

Posted by anniewaderick on June 18, 2007 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I am responding to the comment by BRIARROSE. While we wholeheartedly agree with your comment about the need for guardrails on Mulholland (and indeed the other canyon roads as well); your comments about Jonathans family need to be corrected. Not only did he have a little brother, Wade, he also had an older brother named Shane. Jonathans car was found on Tuesday nite by his cousins Sara & Mikey, myself (Jonathans step mom of almost 19 years), & his little brother Wade. I did indeed flag down MsBrandi (see comment above) because we couldn't get thru to 911 in the canyons. She was very kind and helpful; other cars just whizzed by us. Jonathan was a wonderful, amazing person & we all loved him dearly & are devasted by his loss. Jonathan & Wade were extemely close throughout their lives & Wade was distressed to read that "Jonathan did not have a little brother...". Not only did Jonathan have a little brother, BRIARROSE, his little brother was utterly devoted to Jonathan & was indeed in the car group that found Jonathans car Tuesday night, as mentioned by MsBrandi. We do thank you for the support and kindness you show to Jonathans natural mother, Aileen Locke.
Christina Varble

Posted by vicki38 on July 25, 2007 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Please send some kind word to Aileen who has lost her beautiful son Jonathan Varble.
http://jonathan-varble.memory-of.com/