After a one-year arduous lawsuit, Dave Matthews Band has finally agreed to pay $200,000 following a tour bus incident in Chicago last summer. The accident involved the septic tank of their bus dispensing large volumes of human waste into the Chicago River below a bridge upon which the bus was traveling. According to The USA Today, the $200,000 will be used towards funding local environmental protective initiatives.

The band also issued its “deepest apologies” to the passengers of an opened deck boat passing beneath the bridge, which was pelted with falling sewage.

There has been no known development of infections or illnesses by any of the 100 passengers who were on board the boat at the time.

No band members were present on the bus during the incident, but band spokesperson John Vlautin had said “Although the band members were not on the bus when the incident took place, we have always said that if it was our bus we would take responsibility for what happened.”

42-year-old bus driver Stefan Wohl, the only individual on the bus, was charged with reckless conduct and sentenced to 18 months probation and 150 hours of community service while also being fired by the band as their driver.

The band has vowed to be more diligent in keeping better records of where and when their tour bus septic tank is emptied.

In addition to the band?s environmental lawsuit settlement, several passengers on board the boat have filed personal-injury claims against the band despite being fully reimbursed for the boat tour.






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