Just when you thought Burning Man couldn’t get any wilder, a shocking incident at this year’s festival has the entire community talking. DJ James “JP” Patrick’s peaceful meditation turned into a nightmare when a nearly silent Cybertruck art car ran him over, leaving him with crushed feet and a long road to recovery.

A Moment of Zen Turned Catastrophic

Patrick, a co-founder of electronic music production school Slam Academy, was seeking a moment of solitude on the Playa when disaster struck. Wearing a light and completely sober, he was meditating during the festival’s signature sunset when the art car unexpectedly rolled over him, shattering his plans and his body.

Community Rallies Around a Fallen Artist

In true Burning Man spirit, the community didn’t just watch, they acted. A GoFundMe campaign quickly emerged, raising over $61,000 from more than 700 donors. Patrick’s wife Jade, a photographer, returned home with their twins to care for their two younger children, facing the dual challenges of medical recovery and lost income.

A Festival of Challenges

This isn’t an isolated incident. Burning Man 2025 has been marked by multiple serious issues, including a homicide investigation, sexual assault arrests, and numerous medical evacuations during stormy weather. The Cybertruck incident adds another layer of complexity to what was already a tumultuous event.

Patrick was airlifted to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, where surgeons performed reconstructive surgery on both feet. His recovery will be long, he won’t be walking for several months. Friends describe him as a beacon of creativity and kindness, now needing the community’s support more than ever.

As the dust settles on another unpredictable Burning Man, Patrick’s story serves as a stark reminder that even in a space of radical self-expression, danger can lurk just beneath the surface.