Production on the third season of Rock of Love has been temporarily stopped following a fatal accident involving a crew member who police say fell asleep while driving, killing two people and injuring others. For the production of Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels, the women live on a tour bus and “[travel] across America following Bret on a month-long tour.”
Friday afternoon, two 19-year-olds were killed “when a driver … apparently fell asleep, his vehicle crossed a median and slammed into the students’ SUV,” The Chicago Tribune reports. Yasmin Jackson and Kevetta Davis died at the scene.
51 Minds Entertainment crew member Dennis “Hernandez was cited for driving with a suspended license and other offenses,” as his car “crossed over into the northbound lanes of Interstate 57” and “struck a pickup truck–seriously injuring two Florida residents inside–and then smashed into Jackson’s sports-utility vehicle,” according to the Tribune.
There’s a photograph of the victims in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which reports that Hernandez was driving a truck “hauling sound equipment for Michaels” and that “[t]wo tour buses later stopped at the crash scene.”
VH1’s blog says “Bret Michaels has requested that his participation in the production of the series be temporarily suspended in deepest sympathy as he attempts to reach out to the families of the victims,” and notes that “Michaels had left Illinois early Friday morning and was not near the scene of the accident.”
In a statement, Bret said, “As a father of two, I cannot even imagine what the families must be going through at this time. I will make every attempt to reach out to them to let them know that my heart and prayers are with them during their time of grief.”
However, The Chicago Tribune reports that Yasmin’s aunt “said neither Michaels nor anyone at VH1 had contacted the family.”
Dozing truck driver blamed in crash that kills 2 [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
West Side college student, 19, killed in Downstate crash [VH1]