Brent Hinds, co-founder and former guitarist of Atlanta-based metal band Mastodon, died in a motorcycle accident last month. On the evening of August 20, he was riding his Harley-Davidson near downtown Atlanta when the driver of a BMW failed to yield and struck Hinds' motorcycle. He succumbed to his injuries later that night at a local hospital. After further investigation, the authorities have shared a heartbreaking update.
According to Atlanta News First, Atlanta police reported that Hinds was at fault for the accident. The report stated that he was going between 63 and 68 miles per hour, which is approximately twice the posted speed limit in the area.
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"Hinds was at fault for the crash," Atlanta PD concluded in their report. They were able to watch a video captured by traffic cameras that clearly shows the moment of impact. This video, the report states, allowed authorities to calculate the speed at which Hinds was riding.
Two eyewitnesses also told authorities the former Mastodon guitarist was "driving fast" when the crash occurred. While he was speeding, other eyewitness accounts point to the driver of the BMW SUV running a red light.
The driver told authorities they were "positive" the light was green when they pulled into the intersection to make a left turn. However, an eyewitness reported that they "looked to the light when everything happened," and it was red.
Hinds did not die upon impact. An incident report released by the Atlanta Police Department late last month said he was badly injured but still alive when first responders arrived. The reporting officer wrote that when he arrived on the scene, the guitarist was "breathing and moving with visible injuries to his head, arms, and torso." He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he later succumbed to those injuries.
Brent Hinds co-founded Mastodon in 2000 with Troy Sanders, Brann Dailor, and Bill Belliher. He served as their lead guitarist for 25 years before being ejected from the band earlier this year.