Coroner: Two men died during Lost Lands Music Festival; cause of deaths remain unknown

Two men died in unrelated incidents while attending the Lost Lands Music Festival, according to the Licking County Coroner's Office.

Coroner's Investigator Renee Rogers told The Advocate that James Phromphanh, 34, of Texas, died Sunday at Licking Memorial Hospital. Juan Fantauzzi Lebron, 27, of Florida, died Monday in the ER at the same hospital.

Rogers did not share the men's cause of death, citing their unavailability until Licking County Coroner Michael Campolo completes his reports in around four to six weeks.

In a statement, festival organizers confirmed the deaths and said they are working closely with local authorities to aid in their investigations.

"We can confirm that two fatalities occurred at the event in separate incidents. Each individual received treatment on-site before being transported to the nearest hospital. Causes of death for both incidents are currently unknown,” according to the statement.

The sheriff’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

It's unclear if drugs or alcohol played a role in the deaths or if the men experienced medical emergencies unrelated to substance use.

In a separate statement posted to Lost Lands social media, organizers stated the deaths are unrelated to an incident in which deputies accuse a Columbus man of driving through tents, injuring two during the festival.

“We are deeply saddened to share that two individuals who attended the event passed away over the weekend in separate incidents. We extend our sincere condolences to their family, friends and loved ones,” organizers said.

“The health, safety and welfare of our fans and community are our top priority. The exact causes of these tragedies are unrelated to any vehicle incident and are unknown. We will not provide further details out of respect for the families’ privacy.

“We hope our community can come together to support each other and keep all those affected in their thoughts during this difficult time.”

Deputies said around 46,000 people attended the three-day festival.

Advocate reporter Josué Perez can be reached at jhperez@newarkadvocate.com .

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Coroner: Two men died during Lost Lands Music Festival; cause of deaths remain unknown