Styx’s Todd Sucherman sued by fan allegedly hit by his drumstick at gig
Styx drummer Todd Sucherman has been slapped with a lawsuit for “negligently” throwing his drumstick into the audience at a gig.
According to papers obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lori Frederick claims she was left with “physical pain, bodily scars, emotional anguish, loss of function and loss of enjoyment of life” when Sucherman’s drumstick allegedly hit her face at Styx’s Aaron’s Amphitheatre show in Georgia in June 2015.
She claims that Texas resident Sucherman “wilfully and negligently threw a drumstick into the audience during the performance” and due to the spontaneity of the stick-throwing didn’t give “timely and proper warning to allow (Frederick) to fully protect herself from injury.”
The lawsuit says that Frederick suffered “serious facial injuries” and will be claiming punitive damages for medical expenses and lost income – the amount of which will be proven at trial.
She is also seeking damages for the “loss of the benefit of concert tickets” and “loss of the benefit of registration for the Peachtree Road Race” (a 10k run in Atlanta) plus “loss of clothing rendered useless due to (her) bleeding.”
Alongside Sucherman, Delaware-based entertainment production company TMB Productions have been named in the lawsuit as they “owned, operated or managed the band Styx in its musical performances” at the show.
The lawsuit also alleges that the “defendants have been stubbornly litigious, acted in bad faith, and have caused (Frederick) unnecessary expenses in bringing this lawsuit.”
The papers appeared on a list of Georgia lawsuits made public this week.
Todd Sucherman joined Styx in 1995 replacing original drummer and band co-founder John Panozzo who was unable to partake in the mid-nineties reunion due to health issues caused by his alcoholism. Panozzo died from cirrhosis of the liver in July 1996 aged 47.