A 54-year-old father from Modbury Heights has been remembered by family and friends after dying in a motorcycle crash, in the worst start to the year for motorbike riders in the past five years.<\/p>\n
Donato Bagarozza, 54, known affectionately to friends as Donny, crashed his motorcycle on March 28 while riding at Kingsford<\/a>, near the Barossa.<\/p>\n Despite attempts from emergency services to save Mr Bagarozza, he died at the scene.<\/p>\n Friends said they were \u201cin shock\u201d and \u201ccan\u2019t believe it\u201d after finding out about the father\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cBeyond sad bro, already miss you beyond words,\u201d friend Ty Renshaw said on Facebook.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll see you up there buddy.\u201d<\/p>\n Another friend, Craig Boyce, said: \u201cRip my brother Don. Always be remembered.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Bagarozza was born in Adelaide in 1972, and had two siblings, Vincenzo and Anthony Bagarozza. He was a father of one to Dustie.<\/p>\n His death was the 28th on South Australian roads in 2026 \u2014 the state\u2019s road toll currently sits at 34.<\/p>\n The Modbury Heights father is one of 11 motorcyclists who have died on the state\u2019s roads this year, three of which lost their lives in a horror Easter long weekend.<\/p>\n More than double the number of motorcyclists have been killed in crashes around the state so far this year than at the same time in 2025.<\/p>\n The numbers mark the worst start to the year for motorbike riders in the past five years.<\/p>\n Michael Axford broke the news of his son\u2019s death after 40-year-old Aaron Axford from Para Hills West crashed into a traffic light at Ovingham<\/a> on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with deep sorrow and heart that Lorraine and I have to post the most awful news ever, our son Aaron died on Good Friday from a motorcycle accident,\u201d Michael said in a Facebook post.<\/p>\n A close friend of Aaron\u2019s, Luke Mackenzie, also posted a tribute to Facebook, saying the death left a heartache no one could ever heal.<\/p>\n \u201cShine bright up there mate until we meet again. I love ya brother.\u201d<\/p>\n Two motorcyclists were killed on Saturday afternoon \u2013 a 31-year-old man from Nairne and 47-year-old Jarrid Cornwell, from Lockleys \u2013 after colliding with each other at Paracombe<\/a>.<\/p>\n