Miley Cyrus 'Deeply Saddened' By Death Of Tour Bus Driver

Miley Cyrus
Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Miley Cyrus issued a statement on Friday afternoon (November 20) about the death of Bill Douglas, the driver who died in an early morning accident in Virginia while driving one of Cyrus' tour buses.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Bill 'Uncle Bill' Douglas," reads the statement issued on behalf of the Cyrus family. "Members of our tour are like members of our family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family in the midst of this tragedy. He will truly be missed."

According to a statement released by the Virginia State Police, officials are investigating the crash that occurred on Interstate 85 in Dinwiddle County, Virginia, on Friday morning that took the life of Douglas, 53, who was behind the wheel of one of the four tour buses in Cyrus' entourage. Cyrus was not on that bus, which held nine other crew members who were able to exit the vehicle through the front windshield. Douglas, an Austin, Texas native, died at the scene, according to police.

The bus was ferrying members of the singer's production crew to a Cyrus show in Greensboro, North Carolina, scheduled for Sunday when it ran off the left side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned onto its right side at around 8:15 a.m. Crew member Mary Zilio, 48, a native of Canada, was hurt in the crash and was transported to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed minor injuries.

Police have not yet determined the cause of the crash. TMZ obtained two 911 calls made from the scene of the accident which seem to indicate that Douglas was suffering from cardiac arrest. Whether his heart failed before or after the accident has yet to be determined.

Cyrus' show in Greensboro on Sunday will go on as scheduled according to a spokesperson.