Man Found Dead At Bonnaroo Festival In Tennessee
The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, kicked off on Thursday, June 7. The following morning, around 10 a.m., a man was found dead in his car at one of the event’s camping sites.
Other festivalgoers asked the site’s medical team for assistance for the concertgoer. However, once the medics arrived, they discovered the man unresponsive in his vehicle, according to Billboard.
NBC’s Nashville television affiliate, WSMV, reported that the man was identified as Michael Donivan Craddock, Jr. He was 32-years-old and from Mount Juliet, Tennessee.
An official cause of death has yet to be determined, but a spokesperson for the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department said they do not suspect foul play. The man’s body was sent to the medical examiner’s office in Nashville for a complete autopsy.
Billboard said Bonnaroo’s organizers believe that Craddock’s car was running, with the heat on, when he was found by authorities. The temperature in Manchester on Friday was in the 90s.
“The safety of our patrons is our highest priority, and our sympathies go out to his family and friends,” said an official statement from the Bonnaroo team.
As of Friday afternoon, according to the Tennessean, dozens of people had already required medical attention at the festival due to the high temperatures. Some festival attendees were even transported by ambulance to local hospitals.
“The temperature is 90 with a heat index of 99,” sheriff’s office spokesperson Lucky Knott said. “We can’t stress it enough that concertgoers [need] to drink a lot of water. Staying hydrated will save your life.”
Craddock’s death is said to be the 13th one since the festival began in 2002, according to the Tennessean. The last death at Bonnaroo reportedly happened in 2015 when a 47-year-old man with a pre-existing cardiac issue collapsed in the festival’s main area.
The Tennessean is also keeping track of the festival’s lawbreakers, reporting that about 60 people had been cited and 19 arrested by officials as of Friday afternoon. Public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and illegal possession of a controlled substance were the majority of these cases.
Bonnaroo continues through Sunday, June 10. It takes place at Great Stage Park, a 700-acre event space located about an hour outside of Nashville. More than 60,000 people show up each year for the festival.
Eminem, The Killers, Muse, Paramore, and Sheryl Crow are among the many musicians scheduled to perform at this year’s four-day event. In addition to the performances, there are tents offering unique services and products, a comedy tent, a silent disco, various food and drink vendors, and a Ferris wheel.
