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A woman is suing DJ Steve Aoki, saying that she was severely injured during a performance in San Diego after being trapped under his inflatable, crowd surfing raft.
Brittany Hickman is suing Steve Aoki, saying she broke her neck and ankle after Aoki used an inflatable raft to crowd surf at a show at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego in 2012, the L.A. Times reports. Hickman said in her suit—which was filed in 2013 but is just now going to court—that she was trapped underneath the raft because it was thrown straight on top of where she was standing in the crowd. Hickman said Aoki then climbed up the scaffolding and jumped into the raft, knocking her unconscious.
“My friends told me he landed on the top of the pool raft, hit me on top of the head and I got knocked over,” Hickman told ABC 10 San Diego.
Hickman ended up spending three days in a hospital and wasn't able to work for two months, she said. Aoki's representative provided a statement from the DJ to the L.A. Times.
I would never want anyone to get hurt at any of my shows and feel badly that someone has, but at this time I have been advised by my attorneys to not speak about this as it's going to trial. Thank you for your understanding."
DJ Steve Aoki’s recent sold out show in downtown Los Angeles this weekend—called LAoki—saw a few minor injuries. Eight people were hurt when a fan yanked down a camera boom stand, according to LA Weekly.
During the concert, some residents of downtown Los Angeles took to social media to complain about the noise and crowds at the event.
Missed the #LAoki "concert" in #DTLA last night? You didn't miss much. #LAMEoki pic.twitter.com/SDKWj8CJH3
— Militant Angeleno (@militantangleno) May 17, 2015
But some people had a good time.
Tonight it felt like being In Heaven on Earth!!#Laoki Did not disappoint, amazing show tonight @steveaoki 🙌 pic.twitter.com/urQojpLV6x
— Richi3washere (@rizman1) May 17, 2015
Aoki recently cancelled a number of European shows to have vocal cord surgery due to damage caused by screaming at his shows. However, TMZ noted he spent a lot of the L.A. performance still screaming.
