Ian Cooke uninjured in van wreck near Sterling, Colorado at the start of a short Midwest tour

Ian Cooke's gotta be breathing a sight of relief today. Yesterday morning, the lauded local songwriter, who was driving by himself, was involved in an accident in which his van flipped. Somehow he escaped injury. According to Ian O'Dougherty, his longtime friend and manager, Cooke hit some black ice, which...

By Dave Herrera

November 17, 2011

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Ian Cooke's gotta be breathing a sight of relief today. Yesterday morning, the lauded local songwriter, who was driving by himself, was involved in an accident in which his van flipped. Somehow he escaped injury. According to Ian O'Dougherty, his longtime friend and manager, Cooke hit some black ice, which caused the van to loose control and flip over, eventually landing back on its wheels. Cooke was on his way to Omaha for the first show in a short Midwest tour.

During the tumble, a tire reportedly popped off the rim and the sliding door opened. "He said he was fully awake,"O'Dougherty reports, adding that Cooke "had not been drinking, and was not messing with his phone. Just listening to Christian radio."

Aside from some dents and scratches, O'Dougherty says the van is more or less intact, including the axle and undercarriage, though there is evidently some concern about the tires. "The tire is the main issue because debris got between the tire and rim," says O'Dougherty. "As it is now they warned of going at high speeds on the highway because of the tires popping off because of the debris."

The van is expected to be drivable again in time for a show this Saturday night in Lincoln, Nebraska at the Cultiva Cafe, which will be followed by a string of dates in Des Moines, Chicago and Kansas City. Cooke will be back in Denver in time for his scheduled in-store appearance at Twist & Shout on December 2, in support of his forthcoming CD, Fortitude.

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