A fan favorite metal drummer is counting his blessings after a hit-and-run left his car flipped in the middle of the road—a crash that could have ended far worse.
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Ben Koller, drummer for Salem’s metalcore heavyweights Converge, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a photo of a silver car in a pretty metal position—upside down, straddling the yellow line.
“Nice little Sunday,” the 45-year-old quipped at the start of his caption for the post. “They t-boned me and fled the scene. Luckily, their bumper flew off and had the license plate on it.”
“I’m somehow walking and talking and pretty lucky to be alive,” Koller, who is also the drummer for the heavy metal outfit Mutoid Man, added.
“Don’t waste a second, this thing could be over at any second, and it’s completely out of your control,” Koller advised his Instagram followers. He went on to thank Toyota “for saving my life.” The auto giant responded in the comments with, “We’re sorry this happened to you, but we’re relieved you’re okay.”
In the comments, the beloved drummer revealed where the crash occurred.
“So glad you’re ok! Can’t tell from the photo, but sorta looks like the back half of Griffith Park [California], Frogtown side,” one onlooker observed.
“It was right at the 5 ramp on Riverside,” he confirmed.
Fans and Peers Rally Behind Ben Koller After Harrowing Crash
Of course, concerned fans and the drummer’s metal peers shared their relief and support that Koller made it out okay in the comments section.
“Protect Ben Koller at all costs!” one fan proclaimed. “You can’t park there,” another fan joked.
“Glad you’re okay! At least you got a surreal photo out of it,” Botch bassist Brian Cook wrote. “Damn Ben – hugging you extra hard this weekend,” Touché Amoré vocalist Jeremy Bolm added.
Meanwhile, Converge has been on a short break from playing live shows. The band’s next performance is scheduled for December 13 in Boston at the inaugural Saddest Day 2025 festival.
Koller says he will definitely make the show, adding in his crash post: “See you at Saddest Day Fest.”