Dave Matthews Band Agree to Fine for Sewage

January 5th, 2005

THE DAVE MATTHEWS BAND has agreed to pay $200,000 (GBP105,000) after their tour bus dumped raw sewage on a boatload of tourists in Chicago, Illinois, last year (04).

The American rockers will pay the settlement to environmental protection projects after their driver STEFAN WOHL discharged human waste from their coach while crossing a bridge over the Chicago River in August 2004 - even though they were not on board at the time.

Wohl, who was on board alone at the time the sewage was dumped, has been fined $10,000 (GBP5,200) and given 18 months probation for reckless conduct and discharging contaminates into the Chicago River.

Band spokesperson JOHN VLAUTIN says, "Although the band were not on the bus when the incident took place, we have always said if it was our bus we would take responsibility for what happened."