Members of Tower of Power Injured in Train Accident

Two musicians of the group Tower of Power were seriously injured in a train accident and were hospitalized Thursday night in Oakland, California.
Tower of Power’s drummer David Garibaldi, 70 and touring bassist Marc van Wageningen were struck by an Amtrak train when the musicians were walking from the hotel the band was staying to the venue for their gig.

Tower of Power is an influential and award winning music group that has helped shape the genre of R&B for the past 50 years.

Train Accident in Oakland

Tower of Power’s publicist confirmed to media outlets that the two members of the band were had survived the train accident.

“This is an unfortunate accident, however, both members of the band are responsive and they are currently being treated at a local hospital,” says publicist Jeremy Westby in an open statement to the media.

Oakland Fire Department confirms the two pedestrians that were hit by an oncoming Amtrak passenger train at Jack London Square approximately 7:30 p.m. Thursday night. These individuals were soon after taken to the hospital and were later identified as the members of the band.

The band was scheduled to play at an Oakland venue called Yoshi’s, however, as confirmed by the venue’s website, Tower of Power have canceled all upcoming shows they had planned at that venue.

Tower of Power Speaks Out

Band leader Emilio Castillo said in a written statement that he visited Garibaldi in the hospital, however he was not permitted to see van Wageningen because Wageningen was in intensive care.

“Dave’s head and face was swollen and bruised. He was also lucid, but he is expected to recover. Marc came through surgery well; his internal bleeding was stopped and they were waiting for him to stabilize to do further testing. We appreciate the responses and prayers from our fans, friends, family and former band mates” says Castillo.

Amtrack Weighs in on Train Accident

An Amtrack representative stated that the two band members were not in the designated crossing area during the incident, however, no legitimate evidence has yet to be presented to back up this statement.

What to Do If You Have Been Injured

Train accidents affect us all in similar ways regardless if you are a famous musician or an average pedestrian. When injured in a train accident, it is extremely difficult trying to get your life back to the way it was before the train accident.

If you or a loved one has suffered from personal injury or even death from a train accident, be sure to remain at the scene of the incident, call for medical help and file a police report if possible. Retain a copy of the police report and save your invoices and receipts relating to recovery and medical expenses. Call an experienced attorney who will fight for your justice and get you the settlement that you deserve.

To speak with a Los Angeles Train Accident Lawyer call 323-238-4683.