OAKLAND (CBS SF) — Two members of famed Bay Area R&B group Tower of Power were hit by a train as they walked across tracks before a scheduled gig Thursday evening in Oakland’s Jack London Square.

KPIX 5 learned that drummer David Garibaldi and bass player Marc van Wageningen were rushing from the Waterfront Hotel across the train tracks to Yoshi’s jazz club around 7:30 p.m. for their set. They waited for one train to cross, but a second train going in the opposite direction hit them. The two were thrown several feet from the impact.

• UPDATE: Tower Of Power Members Still Hospitalized; Bandleader Issues Statement

Yoshi’s general manager, Hal Campos, told KPIX 5 he called 911 and stayed with the two injured men until help came. They were both unconscious and appeared to have broken bones, Campos said.

“We don’t know if they didn’t hear the train. We don’t know how this tragedy happened but we’re very, very sad about this. The band is emotionally destroyed … all of us worked with them for days now and many years, it’s really sad,” Campos said.

The men were taken to Highland Hospital and were said to be responsive at that time.

Concertgoers told KPIX they didn’t even know band members were hurt until they had stepped outside.

“They just said ‘We’re sorry, but the show has been canceled.’ They’re canceling the next two shows due to an emergency outside,” one patron told KPIX.

The band was supposed to play two back-to-back shows, their final performances in Oakland.



Sheila E tweeted: “Please pray for … bassist Marc Van Wageningen, drummer Dave Garibaldi for Tower of Power hit by a train in front of Yoshi’s in Oakland.”

Please pray for my frenz,Bassist Marc Van Wageningen, drummer Dave GARIBALDI for tower power hit by a train in front of Yoshi’s in Oakland — SheilaEdrummer (@SheilaEdrummer) January 13, 2017

The group of about a dozen musicians, mostly horns, has been a popular institution in the R&B world since forming in Oakland in 1968.

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