Driver Charged With Four Felony DUI Counts In Crash That Killed VORAATH Drummer And Three Others

Nicholas Shane Meeks Joshua Ward

Nicholas Shane Meeks, 32, faces serious charges after a fatal New Year’s Eve collision.

Meeks has been charged with four counts of felony DUI and one count of driving under suspension (DUS) following a deadly car accident. The incident occurred around 9:00 PM when his BMW struck a Subaru carrying four passengers, forcing it off the road and into a tree. Tragically, all four occupants of the Subaru, including VORAATH drummer and vocalist Joshua “Nassaru” Ward, Audrey Maris Ross, Amanda Lynn Leroux, and an unidentified individual, were killed at the scene.

Meeks was previously convicted of DUI in March 2024. He is currently incarcerated at the Greenville County Detention Center. No bond has been set for the DUI charges, while a $653 bond was issued for the DUS charge.

A GoFundMe has been established to assist with Ward‘s funeral expenses. You can contribute here.

A description on that page reads: “Our close friend and family member, Josh Ward, passed away last night in a traffic accident. Josh dedicated his life to the music he created, the martial arts he practiced and instilled into everyone who had the privilege of training with him, and last but not least his son, Kai.

“We are all devastated by this loss and were not prepared for the high cost of a funeral service. We want to give Josh the memorial he deserves, to honor his memory and say our last goodbyes. I am currently asking for donations to help cover the cost of Josh‘s funeral. All donations would go to the memorial and funeral. All remaining will be gifted to his son, Kai.”