AP Features, October 19th, 2007
A sport utility vehicle carrying members of an Australian rock band swerved to avoid a deer on a highway and overturned, killing the band's guitarist and his wife and injuring three bandmates, authorities said.
Music equipment, including an amplifier and at least one guitar belonging to the group Electric Jellyfish, were scattered along the Ohio Turnpike after the accident early Thursday.
Guitarist Hayden Rodney Sweeney, 23, of Melbourne, Australia, died at the scene, along with his wife, Bridget O'Brien, 26, of Carmichael, California, the State Highway Patrol said.
O'Brien, who was driving a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe, tried to avoid a deer and struck a guard rail about 15 miles (25 kilometers) southwest of Cleveland, said Patrol Lt. John Maxey. The vehicle overturned and continued across the highway, striking a concrete barrier, he said.
Sweeney was seated directly behind his wife, who worked as the band's photographer. Both were wearing seat belts, as were band members Patrick Lias, Michael Beach and Adam Camilleri.
Lias was treated and released from MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. Beach remained in serious condition Thursday night, and Camilleri was listed in good condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Electric Jellyfish plays psychedelic and post-punk music. They had performed in Detroit on Wednesday night and had another show scheduled for Friday night in New York City, according the band's Web page on MySpace.com.
The group had been in the United States for less than a month and had upcoming shows in Boston, Atlanta and North Carolina, the Web site said.
