Two Tour Buses Crash in Four-Vehicle Pileup: 12 Injured On Twin Shadow Bus, Thompson Square OK


Two tour buses crashed in Aurora, Colorado, Friday morning belonging to indie band Twin Shadow and country band Thompson Square, according to NBC News. The crash happened on Interstate 70 and quickly spiraled into a four-vehicle pileup that included two semis.

Although 12 Twin Shadow crew members were injured – one critically – no one was killed.

Initial media reports about the tour bus crash said that the Thompson Square tour bus passengers were injured, but the band confirmed via Facebook that they were not.

The two tour buses just happened to be traveling on the same fogged and snowy stretch of road in Aurora coming from and going to separate places when the first tour bus, carrying Twin Shadow crew members, crashed into a tractor-trailer.

The bus then crashed into another semi, and finally into the second tour bus carrying Thomson Square band members Keifer and Shawna Thompson. The first semi was stuck in traffic and not moving when Twin Shadow bus hit it, according to NBC News.

The Twin Shadow bus driver, 41-year-old John Crawford, was the sole critically injured person in the crash.

Thompson Square IEBA Conference Day 2
The Thompson Square Duo Was Not Injured In The Tour Bus Crash

It is unknown at this time whether Twin Shadow himself was actually on board when the two tour buses crashed, according to the Denver Post, as the rest of the names of the injured have yet to be released.

A University of Colorado Hospital spokesperson, Dan Weaver, said seven injured crew members went to the UCH for treatment, while five others were “treated and released” from the Medical Center of Aurora, according to the Denver Post.

Spencer Zahn, keyboard and bass player for Twin Shadow, managed to get a text to his mother alerting her to the accident and his situation before authorities showed up at the scene, the Denver Post reported.

“‘I’ve been in an accident. I’m in pain but I am conscious. Help is here,’ Twin Shadow bass and keyboard player Spencer Zahn texted his mother, Dorrelle Zahn.”

A Brooklyn, New York, native, Twin Shadow, whose legal name is George Lewis Jr., and his crew were supposed to perform both Friday and Saturday nights at Denver’s Bluebird Theater, according to NBC News.

Friday’s particular Twin Shadow Bluebird Theater performance was supposed to make up for a canceled show at the same theater from September, according to 9 News.

The theater has since canceled the Twin Shadow show again — for obvious reasons — and according to its Facebook post on the matter, is offering refunds.

According Rodeo All-Star via Twitter, Thompson Square eventually made it to their planned show at the National Western Complex Arena on Friday.

While everyone expects the worst when a semi and buses are involved, the Colorado State Patrol said via NBC News that everyone involved was “lucky,” especially considering the “severity and damage on scene.”

According to the Denver Post, despite the snow and rain that was falling, the State Patrol blamed the crash on the area’s fog at the time, and “alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors.”

According to 9 News, Trooper Josh Lewis from the State Patrol said fog played a factor, not just in the Twin Shadow and Thompson Square’s tour buses crashing, but also in “numerous crashes across the state.”

The Denver Post reported that the same weather conditions requiring snow chains on tires closed part of Interstate 70 while at the same time diverting 50 Denver International Airport flights.

[Photo Credits: Robin Marchant and Rick Diamond/Getty Images, Denver Post via Twitter]

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