Kiss Guitarist Karl Cochran Dies in Unusual Accident

Guitarist Karl Cochran, known for his work with the band Kiss, has died in a car accident described as "unusual" or "strange" at the age of 61. Cochran was in the passenger seat of a Subaru Legacy, driven by his 90-year-old mother, Arna. "She reversed through the front yard and crashed into a tree, causing Cochran to be ejected," stated the Bridgewater Township Police Department in New Jersey, USA. The incident occurred at 7:20 a.m. last Wednesday, with news emerging days later.

"Karl was an extraordinary vocalist and guitarist. Our fans around the world loved him," Kiss announced on their official Twitter account. Severely injured, with "life-threatening injuries," the musician was airlifted by police to the nearby Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, "where he died" from a massive stroke, as reported by People magazine. "He never stopped fighting to come back to life," Kiss said in a statement, accompanied by a photograph of Cochran with Paul Stanley, the band's official guitarist.

With Kiss, Cochran performed on stages "around the world" and was a guest musician on the cruises organized by the group for their fans. "He was a constant inspiration." "It was heartbreaking news," said the band's leader, Bruce Kulick, who also played with Cochran in a side project called Esp. "Karl was a fantastic musician (...) a gentle giant who left us too soon," he wrote.

The members of Kiss remember his "smile and passion for life," maintained despite a previous stroke "many years ago," which made him "even more special." The accident is still under investigation by the Bridgewater Township Police Department's Traffic Safety Bureau (N.J, USA).