R.I.P. Black Tusk's Jonathan Athon

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Nov 10, 2014

Following injuries sustained from a motorcycle accident earlier in the weekend, Jonathan Athon, founding member and bassist of Savannah, GA metal outfit Black Tusk, has died. He was 32 years old.

A statement from the group was issued over Facebook, confirming that Athon had been taken off of life support this morning (November 9) after having been in a medically-induced coma since Friday night (November 7). According to DoSavannah [via Blabbermouth], Athon's Harley Davidson had collided with an SUV in downtown Savannah, with the accident placing both him and girlfriend Emily Boutwell into Memorial University Medical Center.

"Doctors told us that he suffered irreparable brain damage shortly after the accident. He has been in a coma and sustained by life support until now," the group reported over Facebook. They added that doctors "removed Athon from his life support systems and his organs will be donated."

According to the first report from the band on Saturday, Boutwell has been recovering in hospital since Friday.

Athon had formed Black Tusk in 2005 with guitarist Andrew Fidler and drummer Jamie May. The sludge metal outfit had issued a handful of LPs and EPs over the years, last delivering the two-song "Vulture's Eye" / "Screaming Inside Myself" single this past June.

Latest Coverage