Guitarist Karl Cochran, recognized for his collaborations with KISS, has died after a automobile accident in Bridgewater, N.J., native police confirmed. He was 61.
Cochran was within the passenger seat of a 2015 Subaru Legacy when it crashed right into a tree round 7:20 a.m. native time on Wednesday, Feb. 19, Bridgewater Township Police Division said. His 90-year-old mom, Arna Chocran, was driving.
“She backed the automobile throughout the entrance yard and struck a tree, ejecting” Cochran, police added.
The incident occurred on non-public property. Cochran was airlifted to Robert Wooden Johnson College Hospital New Brunswick by way of New Jersey State Police NorthSTAR, “with life threatening accidents” the place he died.
PEOPLE reached out to Bridgewater police and its Site visitors Security Bureau on Friday, Feb. 21.
KISS paid tribute to Cochran with a touching publish on X Thursday, Feb. 20.
“Our pricey pal Karl Cochran was killed in a automobile accident on Feb. nineteenth. Karl was a vocalist and guitarist extraordinaire who suffered a large stroke however by no means stopped combating to make his means again,” the publish, which confirmed a photograph of Cochran and KISS guitarist Paul Stanley smiling collectively.
The band continued, “He was liked by our followers worldwide by means of his appearances worldwide and was a continuing inspiration as our visitor on our KISS Kruises. Our deep condolences to Geri and household.”
KISS’ Bruce Kulick additionally shared form phrases on X, stating that information of his loss of life “was intestine wrenching to listen to.”
“Karl was a improbable musician who I labored with in a band known as ESP (Eric Singer Venture). He was a delicate big who was taken too quickly from all of us.”
He shared that Cochran suffered a stroke “a few years in the past,” nevertheless, the well being scare “took nothing away of his spirit, love and humanity. It made him much more particular in his personal distinctive means.”
“As a frequent visitor on the Kiss Kruise everybody that met him was touched along with his smile and his particular ardour of life. My condolences to his household and his fantastic fiancé Ger Fasano who was his loving companion. RIP 😭.”
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Bridgewater Township Police Division’s Site visitors Security Bureau is investigating the crash with Somerset County Prosecutor’s Workplace, authorities mentioned.
PEOPLE contacted the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Workplace for remark.
These with any info are urged to contact Officer Cole Taggert of the Bridgewater Police Site visitors Security Bureau at (908)722-4111 ext. 4088 or the Bridgewater TIPS line at 877-660-INFO (4636).
