The Gainesville Sun reported on July 14th, 2017 that Adrenaline Mob was involved in a fatal accident in Florida on the way to a show. One person died and six others were injured when a tractor-trailer veered off Interstate 75 near Micanopy and struck the group’s RV that had pulled off the highway with a flat tire. Out of the nine people who were in the vehicles, one died, six were taken to area hospitals, and the other two declined medical treatment. Of the six injured, three were listed in critical condition and the other three in stable condition.

It was confirmed later that Adrenaline Mob bassist David Z. was the one fatality. Frontman Russell Allen posted the following statement:

"Yesterday I was involved in an accident that took the life of my dear friend and bandmate, David Z, and left three of our crew in critical condition. I'm overwhelmed with sorrow. I am so grateful for the outpouring of love we have received from around the world. Please continue to pray for David's family during this difficult time. And those in critical condition.

I want to personally thank Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick Dumon for his bravery in assisting me pull our driver Jason from the wreckage and for attending to his wounds. And for helping me to secure and attend to Jane once I was able to get her free from the fire. Without his selfless act of courage I would not have been able to get them clear of the RV before it was engulfed in flames. On behalf of my band and crew I thank you."

Allen, who is also a member of Symphony X and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, recently spoke with LiveJournal.com about TSO, Paul O'Neill, the Adrenaline Mob ordeal, and returning to the stage. An excerpt from the interview is available below.

Q: Were you looking forward to this tour more than in the past or was there more trepidation for you?

Russell Allen: "Way more trepidation. I almost didn't come. I was very apprehensive. It was just a lot, it was very hard for me. Losing Dave was really hard on all of us, especially...I was there, you know. And having to go through all that this summer was really rough. Rough on me and my family and having to come here and see...and go through all that again, you know, but even more so. Seeing people who he was with for 17 years, you know. I had known Dave for a long time 'cause he actually, him and his brother Paulie, opened up for Symphony X years and years and years ago. I had known David...there's a picture of me and him, my God, he was just a kid, like right when he got into TSO so he had the short hair. I was young too, God, I was so young back then...but anyway, I was really nervous about coming here and you know, I didn't think, I didn't know if I was gonna come back. But my therapist and my doctors were saying, 'This is a good thing for you. You need to go and do this and confront this and go out on this tour and stuff.' 'Cause you know, just getting on the bus was a bit of a deal, an ordeal for me, man. I was just scared man, I was just....the first night, couple of nights on this thing, I just couldn't sleep. And the pyro was a big trigger for me and having to go through a lot of that stuff, you know, it was all baby steps and I got through it. Everybody here is just so awesome and so lovely and nice and I realized that I was surrounded by a lot of love and stuff, but it was hard. I'm so glad that I did it. I'm glad that I'm here. I'm happy that I'm here to, to be here for everyone else too. To carry on Paul's legacy and Dave's as well, so I did the right thing. I'm happy that I came here, but it was tough leaving my kids and my wife and stuff after almost losing everything, you know, just my life, so it's been, it's been a journey the past 6 months to say the least."

Q: Yeah, I can't imagine. So many people who knew Dave and were concerned after the accident, were so encouraged seeing and hearing you at the Rubix Kube show in tribute to Dave, doing "Don't Stop Believin'." How important was that night for you?

Russell Allen: "It was monumental, you know, to be there for Paulie and the family was important and I was so, we were all so heartbroken and I just wanted to be there to show my love and support for Dave and for all the Rubix Kube guys. Getting up there and singing that song, I just poured it all out, you know. And it was the beginning of the healing process for me that night, so that show meant a lot to me to get out there and be a part of that."

Q: The year's show is obviously a tribute to both Dave and Paul. How does that manifest itself for you? Are there some special moments that are particularly poignant?

Russell Allen: "Well, when Kayla sings the tribute to Paul, that's the, THE moment in the show, you know. In "This Christmas Day," Dave's bass, his Spector bass is leaning against the Christmas tree in one of the screens and in Omaha that really got me and stuff. Everybody came out while I was singing and I didn't know it was up there. And I was like, 'What are you guys all looking at?' I'm like, 'I know you're not all out here to watch me.' (laughs). They told me what was going on and that was very emotional. So I have moments, you know what I mean; they come and go and I just, I realize the gravity of the situation and I'm aware of it, but I don't let it overcome me because I gotta get through the performance so I lean heavily on my entertaining skills to get me through all that stuff and everything. But God, I mean we all miss him so much and it's just a reminder of just how short life is and I just take that energy and instead of being sad about it I just rejoice in the fact that I'm still here, we're still here, and we were given this great gift from Paul and Dave's energy that he put into the show every night. And I just wanna make sure I'm honoring those two as best as I can every night by giving everything I have. And that's what I think about. So if I'm out there scatting a little more or singing a little more, that's just because it's coming from a deep place and I just want to make those guys look down on me and the rest of us and be proud and say, you know what, they wouldn't want us sad, they would want us out there kicking ass and killing it every night so, so that's what, that's what my mission is out here. My mission is to honor those, our fallen brothers, and give as much as I can every single night to you guys, to the fans. And so, that's really what it's all about, you know. Life is too short and it should be celebrated. And I think celebrating their lives on this tour has been a great experience for all of us and a reminder of just how fragile it is. And I'm in a different place, I mean I think we all are. So I don't take anything for granted. I really, I really am grateful for the opportunity to even be here at all so you know, that's how I approach it."

Read the complete interview here.