Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix shared an ironic and alarming story about his son being struck by a medical vehicle at Warped Tour.
Shaddix recounted the incident, which happened the day before Papa Roach’s headlining set. His 24-year-old son was hit by a medic car after stepping off a golf cart.
“You want to hear something funny? No, this is not funny. It’s ironic. So yesterday we came to the Warp Tour here. We’re going to watch a band called Low Spirit. We get off the golf cart. My son, who’s 24, he gets off the other side of the golf cart and got ran over by a medical vehicle here,” Shaddix said. “Yes. Swear to God. And I was like, ‘Oh my god, are you okay?’ And he’s like, ‘Uh, I feel all right.’ And I’m like, ‘Are you sure?’ And then about two hours later, we left. And I was like, ‘Dude, I feel like we need to go to the ER.’ So, I spent my last night in the ER. It was pretty sick. I swear to God.”
Despite the frightening ordeal, Shaddix confirmed his son escaped without serious injury. He was still experiencing some physical limitations.
“He’s okay now. I mean, he can’t lift his arm above his head right now. And but he got X-rays and nothing’s broken,” he continued. “And it was a medical vehicle that hit him. Oh, the irony. The girl’s like, ‘I think I’m going to lose my job.’ I’m like, ‘You just might.’ Ding dong. Don’t run over the headliner’s son. (Laughs)”
Shaddix’s son is reported to be recovering. Papa Roach went on to headline the Warped Tour show as scheduled.
The incident unfolded against the backdrop of one of the summer’s most anticipated festival events. The 2026 Vans Warped Tour made its return to Long Beach, California, drawing large crowds for a weekend festival format that kicked off at 11 a.m. each day. Papa Roach was among the marquee acts anchoring the lineup, with the band’s headlining slot serving as one of the event’s central draws.
The Long Beach stop was livestreamed exclusively on Amazon Music, giving fans around the world a chance to watch the performances in real time. Papa Roach’s headlining set went ahead as planned despite the family scare the night before.
Single-day passes started at $119.98, with two-day general admission options available from $199.98 and VIP packages beginning at $449.98. These figures underscored the scale and commercial weight of Warped Tour’s 2026 revival.
For Shaddix, the episode was a stark reminder of how quickly things can go wrong, even in a controlled festival environment. That the vehicle involved was a medical unit only added to the absurdity of the situation. He recounted the story with a mix of disbelief and dark humor, even as he acknowledged the genuine fear he felt in the moment.
Papa Roach has been a fixture of the rock festival circuit for over two decades. Shaddix has long been one of the genre’s most recognizable frontmen. His willingness to share the story publicly, complete with laughter and candid detail, was consistent with the openness he has shown throughout his career — both on and off the stage.
Source: KROQ
