In our thoughts. Two members of the band Tower of Power, drummer David Garibaldi and bass player Marc van Wageningen, were hit by a train in Oakland, California, on Thursday, January 12.
According to ABC News, the duo was heading to Oakland music venue Yoshi’s just before 8 p.m. when they were struck by an oncoming train. An Amtrak spokesperson told ABC News that Garibaldi, 70, and van Wageningen, who was filling in for the band’s regular bassist for the gig, were not in the designated crosswalk when they were struck.
It wasn’t immediately revealed why the two men were on the tracks at the time the train approached the intersection, but according to USA Today, pedestrians often need to cross those train tracks at areas where they run across and in between streets.
The musicians were immediately transported to nearby Highland Hospital, where their publicist, Jeremy Westby, said in a statement that they were “responsive and being treated.”
Upon hearing the tragic news, Yoshi’s immediately canceled the evening’s performance, as well as another scheduled concert at the venue. A video posted on the band’s official Facebook page shows Tower of Power performing at Yoshi’s earlier this week.
“We are deeply affected by this event and share our prayers and thoughts to their families and the Bay Area music community as a whole,” Yoshi’s posted a statement on its Facebook page.
“I’m shook up like all in the industry hearing about it,” pal Victor Pamiroyan told ABC News. “And I hope the injuries, I don’t know what the injuries are.”
Garibaldi is one of four members of the 10-person band who has been there since its founding in 1968. (The band was previously known as the Motowns.)
