Day after being hospitalized following a car crash in Malibu, KISS co-founder Gene Simmons has broken his silence with a characteristically nonchalant and self-deprecating statement, blaming the incident on being a “horrible driver.” His lighthearted take follows more serious reports that the 76-year-old told deputies he may have “fainted or passed out” behind the wheel.
The rock and roll icon addressed the incident and thanked fans for their concern in a post to his official X account on Wednesday, October 8.
He wrote on X:
“Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes. I’m completely fine. I had a slight fender bender. It happens. Especially to those of us who are horrible drivers. And that’s me. All is well.”
The single-vehicle accident occurred on Tuesday, October 7, on the Pacific Coast Highway. According to reports from NBC4 Los Angeles, Simmons told sheriff’s deputies at the scene that he may have fainted or passed out while driving, causing his SUV to veer across multiple lanes of traffic before striking a parked car. He was subsequently transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
The Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station spokesperson confirmed the details of the crash to People magazine, though they did not name Simmons directly. The spokesperson stated the accident involved “a vehicle that struck a parked vehicle,” and confirmed the driver was hospitalized.
Simmons’ wife, Shannon Tweed, later told NBC4 that her husband was recovering at home and mentioned that doctors had recently adjusted his medication, which may have been a contributing factor to the episode.
The incident comes just over a month before KISS is set to host their massive “KISS Army Storms Vegas” 50th-anniversary fan event in Las Vegas from November 14-16.
Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes. I’m completely fine. I had a slight fender bender. It happens. Especially to those of us were horrible drivers. And that’s me. All is well.
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) October 8, 2025
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