Vallejo rap group singer, wife killed in Vacaville cycle crash
By Catherine Bowen/The Reporter, Vacaville
Posted: 01/24/2011 07:21:55 AM PST. (Rick Roach/
[email protected])
A motorcycle crash in Vacaville claimed the life of the lead singer of the Vallejo rap group N2Deep and his wife on Saturday night.
Joe "Lofty" Davis Battle, 41, and his wife, Tamera Brown, 43, of Vacaville, were riding northbound on Christine Drive just before 6:38 p.m., police said. The couple was passing Cooper Elementary School in the 700 block of Christine Drive when Battle was "unable to negotiate a turn in the roadway" and slammed into the back of a parked Chevy Avalanche, authorities said.
Vacaville police had received a report of a motorcycle speeding, and when an officer went to investigate, found the Harley and both its riders down.
Vacaville firefighters attempted life saving efforts on both Battle and Brown, but the couple was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Battle and Brown had lived in Vacaville for about 12 years, and friends said the crash occurred just blocks from a friends' home where they were heading to spend the evening.
Andrea Gallagher, who has known Brown since high school, said the couple had two children and were an "adventurous, fun-loving, close-knit family."
A memorial honoring the couple was held Sunday morning at the crash scene and drew about 50 people. An iron heart with roses laced through it and a large pink heart with glitter, a collage of pictures and the words "mom & dad" painted on it marked the spot for passers-by.
"They were coming over here last night, just to hang out," said Jim Capoot, who has known the couple for years and vacationed with them in Hawaii 10 years ago.
Capoot's wife, Jennifer, said that the family of four had spent the day together before the accident while Battle coached pony league baseball tryouts.
"It was nice that all four of them were together. ... They were together all day. They took the bike out for a ride afterwards, Joe had just put his bike back together, he was anxious, and that's who they were, they were a family," Jennifer Capoot said, adding that Battle and Brown had been together since they were "young kids."
"They got married on the beach in Hawaii and it's only fitting that they're together in the end, too," Jennifer Capoot said. "I'm just so glad that they were all together yesterday, all four of them. It's kind of ironic, you know, when you're busy in life you're all usually going in four different directions but all four of their directions (came together)."
Nancy Schick, Brown's mother who lives in Vallejo where both Battle and Brown were born and raised, emphasized the unity that the family exuded.
"They were happy and involved, so involved, in their kids, and the kids right back," she said. "They were a fun family. There was never an event or a party or any celebration that they didn't either throw or attend, that was the family."
Schick had the chance to talk to her daughter on the phone shortly before the accident took place.
"I talked to Tami and she was going to call me later," Schick said. "And that was the last I heard from her. She just was a beautiful person, just inside and out."
The street was closed off for several hours after the crash while officers conducted their investigation. Police are continuing to investigate, but authorities said that it appeared that Battle was "traveling well in excess" of the street's posted speed limit of 25 mph.
Authorities are encouraging anyone with information to contact the Vacaville Police Department at 449-5200.
A memorial fund is being set up through Travis Credit Union.