They Might Be Giants vocalist and lead guitarist John Flansburgh was “seriously injured” by a drunk driver Thursday after returning from a show in New York City.
Flansburgh, 62, left the band’s show at Bowery Ballroom on Manhattan’s Upper East Side on Wednesday night with a car service, according to the New York Post. A drunk driver allegedly ran a red light at an intersection and t-boned his car at about 12:45 a.m., resulting in Flansburgh receiving seven broken ribs, the report continues.
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Flansburgh addressed the accident in an Instagram post.
“I was in a rather dramatic car accident,” he wrote. “Crossing into an intersection, our car was t-boned by a vehicle going at a very fast speed. The force of the impact actually flipped our car over to its side. While the driver and I oriented ourselves to our new sideways, broken glass and airbag-filled reality, we sensed the ominous smell of motor oil and smoke.”
“I would understand anyone thinking we are just a band born under a bad sign and giving up hope, but I also know someday we will rock again and for me, that day couldn’t come soon enough,” he said. “Until then I will be watching reruns of Sex in the City until I am strong enough to reach the remote. Wish me luck. I’m going to need it.”
Police identified and arrested 26-year-old Bronx native William Mota, the drunk driver of the Honda that t-boned Flansburgh’s car, and charged him with several violations including driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct, according to the New York Post. (RELATED: California Cops Won’t Release Body Cam Footage Of Paul Pelosi’s Arrest).
Mota was seen running a red light at the intersection and hitting two cars before crashing into the gate of a housing complex, according to WGN9. All passengers in the three cars were taken to the hospital following the crash, the report continues.
Flansburgh’s injuries also resulted in the band canceling all upcoming tour dates through June, according to the New York Daily News.