WARRENTON, Mo. — Les Cotner pulls up a video of his band, MindSpin, to watch his bass guitarist and friend of 15 years, JD Sinclair, cover a hit from Matchbox 20.
A father, husband, and former police officer, Sinclair was killed in a motorcycle accident this weekend, just hours after a gig.
"We were on the stage together," guitarist Phil Orf said. "Musicians around here are a big family. We all grew up together."
JD Sinclair and his wife were riding through the intersection of Strack Church Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway in Wright City Saturday when a car hit their motorcycle.
When first responders arrived on scene, they didn't know that they would have a personal connection to the victims.
Tanya Sinclair — a paramedic with almost ten years at Warren County Ambulance District — was on the back of the bike. She survived the crash, though she's left with serious injuries requiring months of recovery.
"We're very close-knit," Warren County Ambulance District Chief Tim Flake said. "We're a family here at the district."
A GoFundMe account set up for Tanya and the couple's four sons raised more than $6,000 in 24 hours.
Friends have also organized a charity motorcycle ride for April 13, starting at 10:30 a.m. at the fairgrounds in Warrenton.
"I think that a lot of peoples' lives have gotten a little darker with JD gone," guitarist Scott Wilson said. "I know ours has."