Shandon, CA (September 20, 2019)—David Turner, monitor engineer for country artist Josh Turner, was killed Wednesday night when a crew tour bus left Highway 46 East 20 minutes outside of Paso Robles and drove off a 50-foot embankment into a creek bed.
In addition to David Turner, the other seven passengers were hurt—five with moderate injuries and two with major injuries. David Turner and the artist were not related; the engineer was 64.
Josh Turner and the band were on a separate bus, and the production had just finished a show at Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles, CA. The crew bus was pulling an equipment trailer and was in the slow lane when it left the roadway, driving through 200 yards of undergrowth before smashing into the dry creek, crushing the front of the bus and ejecting two passengers, one of whom was David Turner, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Police are investigating why the bus left the roadway and estimated the vehicle was doing 55-60 MPH at the time.
David Turner, a native of Oxford, MS, was a longtime live sound engineer in the country music scene, having worked for the last 35 years primarily as an FOH engineer and tour manager with the likes of Eddie Rabbit, Tammy Wynnette, Baillie and the Boys, Restless Heart, The Wilkinsons, Trick Pony, Patty Loveless, and for nearly 14 years, monitor engineer for Josh Turner.
In a statement to the media, Universal Music Group Nashville reps said, “Josh Turner and his road family have suffered a devastating loss. Please keep the crew, band and Josh in your thoughts and prayers.” Turner’s tour dates for the rest of the month have been postponed.
