Death Metal Drummer Killed in Drunk Driving Accident

Joshua “Nassaru” Ward, vocalist and drummer of the North Carolina death metal group Voraath, was tragically killed in a drunk driving accident on New Year’s Eve.

Ward, his girlfriend and two friends were pulling out of a driveway on Cooley Bridge Road near Greenville, S.C. Tuesday night in an SUV when a sedan crashed into them, according to The Independent. The SUV was pushed off the road as a result of the impact, and struck a tree.

All four individuals in the SUV died. Ward was 37 years old, and is survived by his son Kai.

The driver of the sedan, Nicholas Shane Meeks, had been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision and only sustained minor injuries. He was arrested by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office the following day and charged with four counts of felony DUI involving death, as well as for driving with a suspended license.

As reported by Lambgoat, Meeks had been charged with another DUI in March of 2024.

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A GoFundMe was launched following the news of Ward’s death to assist with the funeral costs.

“Josh dedicated his life to the music he created, the martial arts he practiced and instilled into everyone who had the privilege of training with him, and last but not least his son, Kai,” the description reads.

Over $13,500 has been raised so far. Once the memorial and funeral expenses are covered, the remaining donations will go to Ward’s son.

There are currently no posts about Ward’s death on Voraath’s Facebook page, however their last post on Dec. 31 suggested that they’d been in the process of working on their sophomore album.

Ward’s final photo on his own page was of himself and his son, just a few hours prior to the accident.

Loudwire sends our condolences to Ward’s loved ones. Rest In Peace.