FAIRBANKS -- A 34-year-old Fairbanks man who enjoyed riding on the hoods of speeding vehicles was found dead along a rural road, an apparent casualty of an unsuccessful "car surfing" venture, Alaska State Troopers say.

The body of Roman Retynski was found Thursday near the shoulder of Mile 36 Chena Hot Springs Road.

A woman with Retynski told his family that she had "lost" him the previous night. The pair were headed in a truck toward the Retynski family cabin near the east end of Chena Hot Springs Road.

Retynski climbed on the hood of the truck, which then accelerated to speeds of 60 to 70 mph, said his mother, Ruth.

The woman looked for Retynski but was unable to find him so she headed to a nearby campground for the night and contacted Retynski's brother.

He found the body the next day.

News of Retynski's death was not entirely unexpected.

"This is Roman," Ruth Retynski said. "He was the daredevil of the family."

At 6 foot 1, 210 pounds, Retynski was in good shape and took advantage of his athleticism to perform daring feats, including riding on of cars.

His mother said she heard stories from his friends that Roman would sit on the hood of a vehicle and lean back on the windshield as someone drove. According to friends, he had done it at least 100 times since he was 15. He thought he was invincible, she said.

"He liked to gamble with life," Ruth said. "I know when he was flying off the hood, he didn't think he would die, he was just thinking, 'This is going to hurt.' "

Car surfing was popularized in movies such as "Teen Wolf" and "Death Proof."

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report last year warning of the dangers of car surfing. Between 1990 and last August, 58 people died from car surfing, according to the report.

Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said this was the first reported case of car surfing she had heard of in Alaska.

"Standing on top of a car going any speed is at best a bad idea and at worst fatal as in this case," she said.

Investigators are awaiting the results of an autopsy before closing the case.

Retynski family members plan to spread his ashes and those of his recently deceased father at Angel Creek near the family's cabin.

"I know he's with the Lord," Ruth said. "He was a wild one, but he had a strong faith."