We just heard back from James Alan Shelton, guitarist and road manager with Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, about the accident we reported last night involving band members Nathan Stanley and Dewey Brown

Here is his report…

A speeding drunk driver is blamed for a hit and run accident involving Leslie Brown, Dewey Brown and Nathan Stanley. Dewey and Nathan are members of bluegrass music legend Ralph Stanley’s band, The Clinch Mountain Boys. Here is the story as I know it, from phone conversations I have had with Dewey Brown.

Dewey, Nathan and Dewey’s wife Leslie were all traveling in a Nissan Murano. They were on the way to Dewey’s home in Snow Camp, North Carolina when the accident occurred at about 12:30 am Monday morning June 22. Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys had just gotten in Sunday morning from the festival at Bean Blossom, IN and Nathan was riding home with Dewey to work on songs for a duet album that they were planning to record.

They had stopped for dinner in Abingdon, VA at the home of Leslie’s grandparents and were continuing on to Snow Camp. They were approaching a bridge within about five miles of Dewey’s home when a 23 year old in a Chevy Camaro who was intoxicated hit them from behind at approximately 80 miles an hour. They were knocked into a creek but landed upright in about four feet of water and large rocks.

Dewey suffered a hard blow to the face but suffered no broken bones. According to Dewey, the airbags deployed and probably saved their lives. Nathan and Leslie were airlifted to the hospital at Duke University in Durham. Nathan suffered two broken legs and Leslie had a broken leg and a badly bruised collarbone. Both were in surgery on Monday to repair the broken bones.

Leslie, who is about six weeks pregnant with the couple’s first child, is in a lot of pain because they cannot give her strong medication due to her pregnancy. Although it is too early to tell for certain, Dewey said that Leslie may be released later in the week but he had not been able to see Nathan since they arrived at the hospital. It is not known when he might be released but both seem to be doing as well as could be expected.

Nathan’s mother Tonya and her husband Jason Armes are with Nathan at the hospital. Anyone wanting to send a card can do so at the following addresses:

According to police reports, the driver of the Camaro, Alejandro Sosa was charged with felony hit and run, DWI (blood alcohol level of 0.14%), speeding and careless and reckless driving.

Please keep Dewey, Leslie and Nathan in your thoughts and prayers.