OAKLAND (KRON) — Two musicians from the iconic R&B band Tower of Power were hit by a train on Thursday night, and they are both expected to recover.
The members of the Oakland-based band are in serious condition after being hit in Jack London Square, according to the bandleader.
People in the community on Friday night said they are wishing the musicians a speedy recovery.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Tower of Power’s bandleader Emilio Castillo said doctors for drummer David Garibaldi and bassist Marc van Wageningen were cautiously optimistic about their recovery.
“Dave’s head and face were pretty swollen and bruised but he was lucid and expected to recover,” Castillo said. “Marc came through surgery well; his internal bleeding was stopped and they were waiting for him to
stabilize in order to do further testing.”
The men were crossing the street in the 500 block of Embarcadero West at 7:39 p.m. when they were hit by the train, police said.
It appears as if they had stopped and waited at the crossing gates for a northbound Union Pacific Railroad train to pass, Union Pacific spokesman Jeff Degraff said.
As it moved out of their way, they went around the gate arms to cross the tracks but didn’t see the southbound Amtrak train that struck them, Degraff said.
An investigation into the incident is being conducted by Union Pacific, Amtrak and Oakland police.
At this point it appears as if all of the crossing arms and warning lights were working correctly, Degraff said.
Degraff emphasized the need for people to be vigilant when crossing train tracks, especially in high-traffic locations like the popular Jack London Square area.
“If one train is passing in front of you, you need to be aware that another train could be behind it on the other track that you can’t see,” Degraff said. “Please pay attention to the warning signals. If they’re down they’re down for a reason.”
Tower of Power has been active since 1968. After the Oakland shows, the band has planned concerts in Seattle, Las Vegas and the East Coast.
The band has not said whether the tour will continue.
Here is a statement from bandleader Emilio Castillo:
“I was at the hospital last night and saw David but Marc was in intensive care and I wasn’t able to see him. Dave’s head and face were pretty swollen and bruised but he was lucid and expected to recover. Marc came through surgery well; his internal bleeding was stopped and they were waiting for him to stabilize in order to do further testing. The doctors were cautiously optimistic. We appreciate the responses and prayers from our former bandmates, friends, and fans and we all remain hopeful and in prayer.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up for van Wageningen.Bay City News contributed to this report.