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US punk band claims involvement in terrible dragging collision

Crash dragged her for blocks

Minneapolis punk band Off With Their Heads says a member of the group was involved in a collision in Vancouver on Oct. 12 that left a woman with life-threatening injuries.

Desiree Evancio, 24, was struck by a van pulling a trailer and dragged underneath the vehicle for several blocks around 12:30 a.m. in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Vancouver Police Department Sgt. Steve Addison said Evancio was walking near East Hastings and Jackson Street when she was hit. He said the driver was not aware of the collision and drove several blocks to East Hastings and Columbia Street before realizing what had happened.

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, a member of Off With Their Heads posted on Facebook about the accident. The band was playing a show in Vancouver on Oct. 11 at SBC Restaurant, which is located in the Downtown Eastside.

Off With Their Heads’ frontman Ryan Young wrote that the band is cancelling the remaining dates of its North American tour. He added the group is waiting for more information to come to light but that they don’t feel comfortable playing live shows until that happens.

“Due to the sensitive nature of an accident a band member was involved with, I can’t elaborate any more than that,” he writes.

GoFundMe page has been started that has already raised $126,000 out of a goal of $1 million to help Evancio, who has already undergone multiple surgeries and was set to have facial reconstruction surgery on Wednesday.

Vancouver Police say the incident is still under investigation and no charges have been laid.

Const. Steve Addison says police believe the driver was impaired by alcohol in some way, and officers are investigating what role the impairment played, if any, in the crash.

He says police arrested and released the driver while the investigation continues to determine whether charges will be recommended.



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