Rock Band Barely Survives ‘Freak Accident’ on Interstate

Punk rock band Cliffdiver is counting their blessings after a “freak accident” left a member of the band hospitalized with serious injuries. The Tulsa-based band was traveling to Las Vegas for the Punk Rock Hoedown in support of Punk Rock Saves Lives when a chain link that snapped off a truck and ended up “lodged” in bassist Tyler Rodgers’ neck, resulting in his hospitalization in the ICU.

The terrifying incident occurred as the group departed their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma in their brand new tour van on Tuesday, May 23, guitarist and vocalist Matt Ehler writing on a GoFundMe page that they were “in exceptionally high spirits.” However, things took a tragic and near-deadly turn at around 11 a.m. local time as the band traveled westbound on Interstate 44 and “there was an enormous BOOM sound that sounded like a cannon being fired as the entire front of the van filled with glass shards and dust.” Ehler said that as “the air cleared, we quickly realized that the driver’s window was shattered and Tyler, who was driving at the time, was knocked completely unconscious.” Front seat passenger Eliot Cooper managed to take hold of the wheel as Rogers’ “foot was locked onto the accelerator,” the van reaching “speeds of nearly 80 mph.”

“At this point, we noticed that blood was spewing out of his neck/head region and drenching his body and the surrounding area,” Ehler wrote, sharing that “my only thought was that Tyler is dead and I need to get control of the van before the rest of us join him.” Ehler eventually managed to move his bandmate’s foot from the accelerator and bring the van to a stop on the side of the highway. The group, also consisting of Joey Duffy, Dony Nickles, and Eliot Cooper, immediately began to administer first aid to Rodgers, who “appeared to regain the tiniest bit of consciousness,” and called 911.

“Once he was stable and paramedics were able to examine him, the sheriff approached us and told us that they found a large steel chain link lodged in his neck,” Ehler revealed. “Tyler was rushed to the hospital and we followed behind him as soon as we could. The emergency center determined that Tyler’s carotid artery had been punctured, his jugular was lacerated, he had fractures in his neck, had lost approximately 2 liters of blood and needed emergency surgery.”

A day after his successful surgery, during which doctors determined “that the chain link struck his neck in such a way that it caused a hematoma and kept him from bleeding out,” Rodgers was moved from the intensive care unit to a “normal room” to continue his recovery. In an update on May 28, Cliffdiver announced that Rodgers was discharged from the hospital.

Amid the terrifying “freak accident” and Rodgers’ recovery, Cliffdiver has postponed their touring plans in support of last year’s debut album Exercise Your Demons. The group created the GoFundMe to raise enough to cover all incurred medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation, repairs and damages and whatever else it takes to ensure that Tyler, his family and the band can fully recover and recuperate.”