Grammy-nominated smooth jazz saxophonist Boney James was hit by a drunk driver last Saturday after driving home from his performance at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach Jazz Festival, his publicist reported.
James was
stopped in traffic on the 405 freeway when a drunk driver rear-ended him
at 70 miles per hour, “causing a gash in his chin that resulted in 14 stitches, a
fractured jaw and two broken teeth.”
]
At the time, James was on speaker
phone his wife Lily Mariye, who played Nurse Jarvik on
NBC's ER.
James was pulled from his car by
passersby and soonafter was taken away by Long Beach Fire & Rescue.
In a press release, Boney said, “I'm euphoric … I'm lucky I wasn't
killed. I just had a
near death experience and am relatively unscathed.” There is more good
news: his car was totaled, but his saxophones, which were in his trunk,
are
apparently fine.
James was discharged from the hospital at 1 a.m. Sunday, and had his
teeth repaired by his dentist. A May 21 show in Columbia, South Carolina
has been cancelled, but the status of other shows are pending further
medical evaluation of James' condition.
