Boston punk rockers Dropkick Murphys were involved in a fatal road accident over the weekend, when their tour bus struck and killed a pedestrian on the highway just outside of Austin, Texas.
According to reports the band were en route to Dallas Airport from a gig in San Antonio to drop off band member Al Barr when the incident occurred at about 3 am. According to The Boston Globe, the victim has been identified as 23-year-old Dalton Lane Clark.
Compounding the tragic unfolding of events, just a day earlier, Al Barr had announced he was heading home early from the Murphys’ tour to attend the funeral of one of his childhood friends.
“We were involved in a tragic and fatal accident when a pedestrian suddenly ran onto the highway in front of our tour bus,” the band wrote in a statement on Facebook. “We were left with a driver that has been severely shaken up by the accident and a bus too damaged to continue onto Tulsa…As much as it pains us to miss a show and we truly apologize for it, we’d like to stop and acknowledge that a man has lost his life. Please keep him and any family he might have in your prayers.”
Police are reportedly investigating Dalton Clark’s death as an “accidental fatality” as the family believes he was attempting to cross the busy highway, and the driver of the bus has not been charged. Clark’s family have made a brief statement about their loss to the Globe, noting that the 23-year old leaves behind “a very loving family, coworkers, and friends,” as well as a 19-month-old son, Aidan.
“Dalton was loved & he loved back wholeheartedly and had a zest for life & family,” the statement said. “In our loss, our sympathies goes out to The Dropkick Murphys Band Members & Bus Driver involved. We would like to thank them for recognizing that a loss of life did happen, that our family is grieving, and we commend the way the band & driver handled this loss.”
The family have set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for funeral costs and to help support Clark’s fiancee, Danielle Phillips, and their son. According to the page, the Dropkick Murphys have donated the full targeted amount of $25,000 to the fund.
