SILVER SPRING, Md. — A one-time member of the Grammy Award-winning Baltimore hardcore group Turnstile now faces attempted murder allegations following accusations that he deliberately ran down his former bandmate’s elderly father with a vehicle, causing severe injuries.
Brady Ebert, 33, who previously played guitar for the band, was taken into custody Tuesday on charges of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault after Sunday’s incident in the Washington D.C. suburb of Silver Spring, according to Montgomery County authorities.
Police responding to reports of a pedestrian collision discovered 79-year-old William Yates wounded in a residential front yard. Yates is the father of Turnstile’s lead vocalist Brendan Yates.
According to court filings, family members told investigators that Ebert, who lives nearby and left the band years earlier, had deliberately struck Yates with his automobile. Erin Gerber, Yates’ daughter, informed police that she and her spouse were removing their children from their vehicle when Ebert approached while honking aggressively and shouting profanities, then drove directly into her father.
Surveillance video from a neighboring residence captured Ebert operating a gold Buick LeSabre, initially swerving toward William Yates but failing to make contact, investigators documented. Yates subsequently hurled a stone at Ebert’s car while Gerber pulled her 3-year-old child to safety on the grass. Ebert then made a sharp turn into Yates’ driveway and struck him as the elderly man attempted to flee, before driving across the lawn and departing the scene.
William Yates informed detectives that while he lay injured, Ebert came back and shouted that he “deserved it” before leaving once more, court documents state.
The victim explained to authorities that Ebert had previously performed with his son’s band but had been creating difficulties for the family following his removal from the group. Yates described ongoing harassment that had been intensifying over time.
At Thursday’s bond hearing conducted via video link, Ebert referred to William Yates as a “maniac” who had thrown a rock at him and requested the judge review the surveillance video, claiming it would “contradict” the official account of events, The Baltimore Banner reported.
However, prosecutor Dominic Plantamura characterized the footage as evidence of a “clearly targeted attack” and noted that Yates was fortunate his injuries weren’t more severe.
Defense attorney John Costello recognized his client’s troubled relationship with his former bandmate but argued, “That does not, in this instance, warrant extra detention.” Costello’s office refused to provide additional comments to The Associated Press.
The presiding judge denied bail and ordered Ebert to remain in custody.
Plantamura revealed that William Yates sustained such serious injuries that bone protruded from one of his legs.
Turnstile released a public statement confirming they severed all connections with Ebert in 2022, “in response to a consistent pattern of harmful behavior.” The band explained they were forced to establish boundaries after he began making violent threats. While Ebert’s “baseless tirades” persisted publicly afterward, the group chose not to respond publicly to preserve his privacy. The statement noted that threats had intensified recently before culminating in the physical assault on Brendan Yates’ father.
“We are grateful that Mr. Yates survived, has successfully undergone surgery, and we’re hoping for the best possible outcome in his recovery,” the band stated. “We have no language left for Brady.”
Turnstile emerged from underground music circles to achieve mainstream recognition with their 2021 release “Glow On.” The band solidified their success this year by capturing Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album and Best Metal Performance.
