LeRoi Moore, the 46 year-old saxophone virtuoso and founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, died at a hospital in Los Angeles yesterday due to complications from an ATV accident that occurred on his farm in Virginia earlier this summer. How many rock stars will ATV’s take out before they are up there with heroin? Seriously, those things do nothing but hurt people.

On June 30, Moore crashed his ATV on his farm outside Charlottesville, Va., but was discharged and returned to his Los Angeles home to begin physical therapy. Complications forced him back to the hospital on July 17, the band said.

Dave Mattews went on with his scheduled concert last night at LA’s Staples Center dedicating the entire show to Moore and telling the crowd, “It’s always easier to leave than be left.” Jeff Coffin, who has played with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, sat in for Moore as he has all summer. The band’s official website features the above tribute photograph and a statement that reads:

We are deeply saddened that LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of Dave Matthews Band, died unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon, August 19, 2008, at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles from sudden complications stemming from his June ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. LeRoi had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin an intensive physical rehabilitation program.

DMB sax player dies at 46 from ATV wreck injuries [AP]
Dave Matthews Band [official website]