The next gig is cancelled......

The two bands had finished playing in Spartanburg SC and were headed to another show in Atlanta GA on April 6 2015 after finishing that show.  At 7 am, the van they were riding in went off the side of I-85 in Jackson County GA, about 65 miles Northeast of Atlanta.

The police state that they believe that the driver of the 15 passenger van apparently fell asleep at the wheel.  The van which was towing a utility trailer left the roadway and struck a tree.  The right side of the van was sheared off and three of the passengers were ejected.  Three of the victims were dead at the scene and another eight were taken to either Athens Regional Hospital or Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

The van had 12 occupants at the time of the crash, members of the bands Khaotika and Wormreich who were completing a short concert tour.  The driver of the van was reportedly unhurt and there has been no release yet of who died in the crash.  It has been reported that Rick Hayes, the husband of Khaotika singer Lariyah Hayes, has posted that she was prepping for surgery and has suffered injuries but that they are not life threatening.  It has been posted on the Facebook page of the third band on the tour, Kult ov Azazel, that the concert planned for tonight has been cancelled.

The bands had begun the tour in Chicago IL on April 3rd and played on the 4th in St Louis MO before playing in Spartanburg SC on the 5th.  The short tour was scheduled to end in Atlanta GA on the 6th.  It is about a four hour drive from Spartanburg to Atlanta and they were still about an hour away from their destination when the crash occurred.  An estimation from the Khaotika FB page posting places the show's end at about 2 am.

The band Khaotika was formed in Jan 2014 after Lariyah Daniels Hayes had moved to the Atlanta GA area.  Lariyah was originally from Poland where she played in a small band called Get Wired until she moved to the US in the mid 2000's.  She originally worked as a model until she joined up with the band Hessler in the Chicago IL area in October 2010.  The band is described as melodic occult metal and released their debut EP last year.

Khaotika

Her breakup with the band Hessler was only described as necessary because she was moving to the Atlanta GA area and did not seem to have any hard feelings within the group.  Hessler is still touring although the band members have changed drastically since 2014.  They lost three members in 2014 but seem to have recovered from the loss.

Hessler

The band Wormreich was formed in 2009 and has listed several locations as their home though, Huntsville AL is what is currently showing on the FB page.  They describe themselves as "Black Metal" and released their debut full length album in 2011.

McKinney, Pezzano and Pyle

The three passengers who were ejected at the scene and died are Nicholas R Crisostomo, 25 of Round Hill VA and a member of Khaotika, Ian McKinney, 30 of Madison TN and Paul Truesdell, 29 of Mableton GA.  It is believed that both Truesdell and McKinney are members of Wormreich.

The three injured that were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center are Christopher Pyle, 49, of Owensboro KY, James Berile, 25 of Leesburg VA and Stephen Shoemaker, 53 of Jonesboro GA.

The other five who were injured were taken to Athens Regional and have been identified as well.  They are Matthew Shaner, 31, of Silver Springs MD, Jasmine Zarinebaf, 19, of Naperville IL, Kamilla Hayes, 44, of Norcross GA, Batricia Shoemaker, 49, of Jonesboro GA and Christopher Pezzano, 45, of Toney AL.  It is reported that only two remain in critical condition and the reports do not state which victims they are although some were still in surgery as of this afternoon.

The driver of the van has been identified as Sergio Quesado, 27, a member of Khaotika from Athens GA and there are charges listed as pending.  The police state that it is far too early to know what will become of the charges because it is still very early in their investigation of the crash.

There has been a Gofundme site set up in an effort to raise money for those who are injured and the families of all who were involved in the accident.  The concert tonight has been cancelled at The Basement located on the lower level of East Atlanta's Graveyard Tavern but they have already announced that there will be a benefit concert planned on April 13 2015.  It can be expected that there will be further notification as to what bands and activities will be included in that benefit concert.

Headed to Chicago

Update:

The plans for the benefit concert and the go fund me site have been postponed indefinitely at the request of the families affected by the accident.  There may be something in the future but it can be understood how many families have been affected and at the moment, they have much more important issues to worry about.

Chicago

Update April 7 2015:

Paul Truesdell is remembered by his co workers at the KooKooBear children's furniture store as a hard working but kind and gentle man.  He was the warehouse manager there for the past three years and had only been late one day because he was helping someone stuck in a snowstorm.  He had been looking forward to this tour as a chance to get out and play on the road.  Friends have stated that he died doing what he loved and they will miss him terribly.

The latest update that has been posted is from Wormreich founder Christopher Pyle which reads as follows,"This morning I lost my brother and best friend, along with two awesome people that I was lucky to have even known for a short while.  Two of my other brothers remain in critical condition.  Somehow I was spared with only superficial wounds and a dislocated shoulder.  This is not the end of Wormreich.  It's always been my vision, but more importantly, it is for those that I have lost today that it MUST continue."

Nicholas, Lariyah and Matt

Nicholas and Sergio

Video from co worker of Paul Truesdell:

http://www.11alive.com/videos/news/local/mableton/2015/04/06/25392907/



Update April 8 2015:

Two of the band members who were injured in the early morning crash have been released from the hospital.  Christopher Pyle has been released from NGMC, James Berile is listed in satisfactory condition and Stephen Shoemaker is listed in critical condition there.

Matthew Shaner was treated and released from ARMC and they list Jasmine Zarinebaf, Kamilla Hayes and Patricia Shoemaker in fair condition.  Christopher Pezzano is listed in critical condition at their hospital still.

All three who died in the accident reportedly were dead at the scene but it is still unclear if they had been the three who were ejected from the van.  The van reportedly traveled close to 300 feet off the road before it crashed into the tree that sheared the right side off.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/death-toll-climbs-to-4-in-mondays-i-85-van-wreck/nkpDm/



http://www.gofundme.com/r32tk5g

http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2015/04/3_killed_when_van_carrying_hun.html

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/6524231/wormreich-khaotika-fatal-van-accident

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/about-the-bands-involved-in-monday-mornings-crash/nkncD/

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/at-least-3-people-dead-in-i-85-van-wreck-in-jackso/nknXJ/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/3-musicians-die-tour-van-veers-ga-road-article-1.2174839

https://www.facebook.com/wormreichofficial

https://www.facebook.com/KhaotikaOfficial

http://www.sleazeroxx.com/news/02327.shtml

http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/2015/04/06/3-killed-jackson-county-wreck/25350301/



Update April 9 2015:

Ian McKinney owned and ran NVS Productions which produced band logos, banners, graphic layouts, album covers as well as photographing bands and producing music videos.  He used Corel Video Studio to produce videos for bands such as Wanterkraaft, Borgne, Hades, Wormreich and just released one for Idolatry on April 3 2015.

There have been no announcements yet for any funeral arrangements and the gofundme site as well as a proposed benefit concert are still on hold at this time.



https://www.facebook.com/nvslayerproductions

https://www.facebook.com/idolatryblackmetal

http://www.nocleansinging.com/2015/04/07/r-i-p-ian-mckinney-paul-truesdale-nicholas-crisostomo/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=j9cYXWNwTBc


Update April 9 2015:






An update through FB states that Lariyah has come through two surgeries so far and is doing well.  Her injuries are described as very serious with a stitched and stapled head, five broken ribs and a reconstructed forearm with skin grafts on it as well as an extremely bruised body.

James Barile has been said to have gone home with two plates in his bones.

The memorial for Nicholas Crisostomo will be held this Sunday from 3-5pm and the funeral will be held Monday April 13 2015 at 11 am in the baptist church in Purcellville VA.

There have been no other updates of funeral services or conditions of the others who were injured.



Update April 15 2015:


Notifications on Facebook have stated that former bassist Phenex will be returning to the band and they continue to work on arranging the new album.  There has also been a Gofundme site established specifically to assist Ian McKinney's girlfriend Ashley and their unborn daughter Mia.  The funds are going only to the two of them in their time of need.  It has also been reported that Profana will be leaving the hospital tomorrow.

Lariyah was still reported as being in critical condition as of the evening of April 13th but it had been hoped that she possibly could be released from the hospital by the end of this week.


GoFundMe site:

http://www.gofundme.com/r4xk7c?fb_action_ids=877929615610923&fb_action_types=og.shares&fb_ref=undefined


Update April 20 2015:


It has not been reported yet if Lariyah has been released from the hospital.  Her last personal update was on April 11th on FB in which she described the terrible physical injuries.  She stated that she has had her right arm reconstructed after it was horribly damaged, her head injury was stapled, she had a skin graft on her leg and had broken ribs and a torn lung.  It can be understood that both bands will need time to heal not only physically from their injuries but their hearts will need time to heal as well.

Wormreich reports through their FB that Profana has returned home from the hospital to continue recovering from his injuries.  Wyvern is reportedly improving slowly and is now breathing without a respirator.  He is showing positive improvement steadily, is responding well to those who visit him and so far the threat of brain injury is something of the past now.  He remains in the hospital in Georgia though.


Update April 22 2015:

Fubar in St Louis will be hosting a benefit show on May 9th and the proceeds will be donated to the funds that have been set up for both bands.

There has also been a youcaring site set up for the care of Stephen "Skullator" Shoemaker's dogs and cats while he and his wife travel the long road to his recovery from critical injuries.  There are three sites so far where donations are accepted for medical expenses and future care.







https://www.facebook.com/events/397451830441488/

http://www.youcaring.com/pet-expenses/help-skully-s-animals-as-he-heals-/339767

http://www.gofundme.com/pezzskullytrish


Update May 2 2015:

Lariyah has stated that yesterday she had her first physical therapy session and the results were very good.  She added that all of the plastic surgery, grafts and bone realignments have paid off and look to be healing very well.  It was a milestone and she looks forward to continuing to improve over the next six months.









Update May 12 2015:


Lariyah has made several updates through her Facebook and has stated that she is doing better, has some feeling coming back in areas and the grafts are healing well.  She added that it may be a year before she is able to have good feeling and use of her right hand though, much longer than she had hoped in the beginning.  She still has a you caring site that will be running into July and while it has reached her initial goal, anything above that will be used for medical bills, replacement of the trailer and band materials.  She did express a deep thank you to all who have helped by donating in whatever amount.

She also announced that she is seeking a new drummer and the particulars of what she needs can be found on her Facebook page.  Wormreich has also started a new go fund me site in hopes of replacing the instruments that were destroyed and damaged in the accident.  The latest reports that have been posted stated that Wyvern is still in the hospital but continues on the road to recovery.

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/save-an-artist-s-hand-and-a-musician-s-tools-to-keep-going-/342805

http://www.gofundme.com/wormreich