When it comes to copying the reckless antics of Jackass, a handful of moronic teens learned the hard way that some stunts simply aren’t worth the risk.
Moronic Teens and the Deadly Imitation of Jackass
1 Drugs, Alcohol, And A Bulletproof Vest
In July 2014, 30‑year‑old Mark Ramiro and his longtime buddy Darnell Mitchell were deep into a night of drugs, booze, and dares. Mitchell, after licking a toilet for kicks, decided to up the ante by taking a bullet to the chest—while sporting a bullet‑proof vest. Their goal? A self‑produced Jackass-style video that would catapult them to fame.
When the camera rolled, Mitchell ordered Ramiro to fire a round into his chest. Unfortunately, Ramiro’s aim was a touch high, and the bullet struck Mitchell’s upper chest. He was rushed to the hospital, but despite frantic attempts by medical staff, he was pronounced dead.
Ramiro stayed at the hospital until authorities arrived, later pleading guilty to second‑degree murder and receiving a four‑year prison sentence.
2 A Pickup Truck And A Burning Chair
November 2002 saw 18‑year‑old Adam Ports and three college friends from Tiffin University in Ohio set out to film their own stunt. They loaded a pickup truck, headed into the countryside, and tossed a flaming chair from the bed of the moving vehicle.
During the chaos, Ports lost his balance, fell out of the truck, and suffered severe head injuries. He was hospitalized but died the following day.
Local sergeant Brian Hescht condemned the stunt as a clear copy of Jackass. MTV/Paramount’s spokesperson argued otherwise, while Johnny Knoxville reminded viewers that the show always warns, “Don’t try this at home.”
3 Playground Carousel
In Germany, a group dubbed the “Bavarian Dumbasses” filmed a series of dangerous stunts. One of the members, a 20‑year‑old identified only as Tobias, was taped to a spinning playground carousel.
The gang attached a rope from the carousel to a revving BMW, cranking the car to maximum speed. When the tape snapped, Tobias was hurled across the park, apparently with a broken neck and bloodied body.
Two of his companions were rushed to the hospital for shock, while Tobias was pronounced dead at the scene.
4 The Mummy
In 2004, an 18‑year‑old Swedish teenager and two friends turned a Norwegian highway into a deadly set. Dressed in a homemade mummy costume, the teen asked his friends to film him lying in the middle of traffic.
The first car swerved, but a second vehicle couldn’t stop in time and ran him over. The entire spectacle was captured on video, and police linked the incident to the influence of Jackass.
5 The Ultimate Belly Flop
May 2008 found senior Matt Evans, an honor student at Granite City High School, celebrating his upcoming graduation. A friend’s car rolled down the street, honking loudly.
Ever the prankster, Evans leapt onto the moving hood, attempting a dramatic belly flop. The driver panicked and slammed on the brakes, sending Evans flying head‑first onto the pavement.
He was taken to a hospital but never regained consciousness, and he was pronounced dead the following night.
6 Hood Riding Part II
Just two months after Jackass: The Movie hit theaters, 15‑year‑old Stephen Paul Rauen of Albuquerque tried to recreate a hood‑riding stunt. He jumped onto a moving car’s hood as it approached.
The driver hit the brakes, sending Rauen crashing to the pavement. Unlike Evans, Rauen was run over and dragged a short distance before succumbing to his injuries.
Police confirmed the stunt was directly inspired by the film and noted a history of similar antics by the teens.
7 Railroad Tracks
In December 2002, 13‑year‑old Aaron Brown from Indiana and five other teenagers attempted a high‑speed rail‑track run in a van, inspired by Jackass footage they kept in the vehicle.
After three passes, the driver lost control, slamming into a parked van and sliding over 120 meters. Four of the teens were injured; Aaron Brown did not survive.
Investigators recovered a camcorder loaded with previous stunt recordings and confirmed the teens’ fascination with the show.
8 Car Surfing
March 2008 in Florida saw 18‑year‑old Cameron Bieberle “car surfing” in a parking lot. He perched in a shopping cart, clinging to the bumper of a car driven by his 23‑year‑old friend, Michael A. Smith.
A speed bump sent the cart soaring ten meters, and Bieberle landed on his head, dying instantly at the scene.
Investigators learned the duo had previously filmed themselves in similar reckless cart‑riding antics. Smith was later convicted of vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.
9 One, Two, Three, Jump
September 2005, 18‑year‑old Adam E. Page from Vermont decided to pull a classic Jackass move. While cruising at about 30 mph in his 1995 Subaru Legacy, he opened the driver’s side door and leapt out, leaving the car in cruise control.
Passenger Adam Cota grabbed the steering wheel, turned the vehicle around to check on Page, only to find him lying motionless on the road. Page died en route to the hospital.
Investigators recovered a video from Cota’s camera that captured the entire stunt, and two other teens in the backseat also filmed the incident.
10 Booze, Stunts, And Murder
In 2014, 39‑year‑old Neill Buchel, a father of two from England, vanished after a night of heavy drinking with his “mates.” Three weeks later, his dismembered remains were discovered scattered across nearby lakes.
Police learned that Buchel’s friends regularly filmed dangerous, Jackass-style stunts, including placing chili powder on genitals and setting pubic hair ablaze. The night of March 13, the group escalated to brutal violence, beating Buchel to death and chopping his body into ten pieces.
Five men faced trial: three were convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice (3–5 years), while two were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life with a minimum of 21 years.
11 Merry‑Go‑Round
On January 21, 2004, 16‑year‑old Roberta “Bobbi” MacKinnon of Marysville, California, was remembered as an honor student. Four days earlier, she and a group of friends attempted a dare they’d seen on Jackass.
The teens tied a rope to a merry‑go‑round and anchored the other end to a speeding pickup truck. The truck’s acceleration spun the carousel violently, hurling Bobbi a staggering 25 meters (75 feet) into the street.
Despite frantic rescue attempts, her injuries were too severe, and she died that day.