Nashville producer Dave Brainard severely injured in beating

Nashville producer Dave Brainard was left unconscious with a broken jaw, severe lacerations to his face and several missing teeth following an assault on Demonbreun Street in the early morning hours on Sunday.

Brainard is awaiting reconstructive face surgery as a result of the incident but is now conscious. Police are looking for the man and woman involved in the altercation who left the scene.

According to Metro Nashville Police Department spokeswoman Kris Mumford, Brainard and two women, including his friend Deborah DeLoach, were walking across Demonbreun at a crosswalk in front of the 1505 Demonbreun apartment building when a gray or charcoal four-door Infiniti struck DeLoach.

After initially striking DeLoach, the car continued to slowly drive into them before the woman, who was the passenger, got out of the car, according to Mumford.

“We couldn’t get out of the street because they kept hitting us,” DeLoach said, referring to the couple in the car. “They both get out and start yelling – she starts yelling, he’s yelling. The woman attacked me, and the man attacked Dave.”

At this point, the physical altercation began with the male driver repeatedly punching and then choking Brainard until he was unconscious.

DeLoach was assaulted by the female passenger and then hit by the male driver, who also choked her by kneeing her in the throat.

Mumford said police drove Brainard to the emergency room.

“He’s having surgery (Tuesday),” DeLoach said. “His jaw on both sides is broken. He has lacerations on his chin and lip. His teeth are shattered in the back. He’s going to make it, but he is not doing well and has severe injuries to his face.”

Brainard, 40, is one of Nashville’s hottest young producers, having earned a Grammy nomination for his work on Brandy Clark’s “12 Stories” album. He also has produced country artists like Jamey Johnson and Jerrod Niemann.

The woman in the car was described as white, 5 feet 6 inches tall and in her early 30s. The man was 6 feet 2 inches tall, 200 pounds and white.

Mumford said the couple in the Infiniti was well dressed, as if they had been at a formal event. The case has been assigned to detectives in the Midtown Hills Precinct. Anyone with information should call 615-742-7463.

Reach Nate Rau at 615-259-8094 and on Twitter @tnnaterau.