Former Turnstile Guitarist Charged with Attempted Murder
SILVER SPRING, Md. – A former guitarist for the Grammy-winning hardcore band Turnstile has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly chasing down the father of a former bandmate with his vehicle, resulting in serious injuries.
Montgomery County police responded on Sunday to reports of a pedestrian being hit in Silver Spring, a suburb of Washington, D.C. They found 79-year-old William Yates, who is the father of lead singer Brendan Yates, injured in his front yard, according to the indictment.
Family members of Yates stated that Brady Ebert, the guitarist who had left the band years prior, had struck him with his car. Yates’ daughter, Erin Garber, told authorities that she and her husband were unloading their children when Ebert approached honking his horn, subsequently hitting her father while shouting obscenities.
Surveillance footage from a neighbor showed Ebert driving a gold Buick LeSabre, swerving toward William Yates but initially missing him. After Yates hurled a rock at Ebert’s vehicle, Garber quickly pulled her 3-year-old son onto the lawn to avoid a collision. Ebert then veered into Yates’ driveway and hit him as he attempted to run away, as reported by investigators. Ebert then drove off across the lawn.
While on the ground, Yates told detectives that Ebert returned to him, shouted, “I’m making this my own fault,” and left the scene again, per the indictment.
Yates claimed that Ebert, who previously played in a band with his son, had been troubling the family since his departure. He alleged that Ebert’s antagonistic behavior had intensified over time.
Ebert, 33, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault, according to court documents.
During a bail hearing conducted via video on Thursday, Ebert referred to William Yates as a “lunatic” and requested that the judge view the surveillance footage showing Yates throwing the rock, which he argued contradicted authorities’ account of the incident.
However, prosecutor Dominic Plantamura asserted that the footage depicted a “clearly targeted attack,” and noted that Yates was fortunate not to have sustained more severe injuries.
Ebert’s attorney, John Costello, acknowledged the contentious history between Ebert and his former bandmates but argued that it did not warrant his continued detention. Costello’s office declined to provide comments to the press.
The judge ordered Ebert to be held without bail. Plantamura relayed that Yates had sustained significant injuries, including bones protruding from one of his legs.
In a statement, Turnstile announced they severed ties with Ebert in 2022 following a consistent pattern of troubling behavior. They indicated that it became necessary to set boundaries after threats of violence began, and although they avoided addressing his “baseless rants” publicly to protect his privacy, they noted that recent threats had escalated, culminating in the incident involving Yates.
“We are grateful that Mr. Yates survived and that the surgery went well, and we wish him the best in his recovery,” the band expressed. “Brady has no words left.”
Turnstile, originally known as an underground act, gained mainstream recognition with their 2021 album “Glow On,” which earned them a Grammy Award this year for best rock album and the best metal performance.
