Boyd Tinsley has broken his silence regarding the sexual harassment allegations against him.
One day after former Crystal Garden bandmate James Frost-Winn filed a lawsuit accusing Tinsley of “creepy, sex-based behavior” and “sexually predatory harassment,” the former violinist for the Dave Matthews Band released a statement to PEOPLE on Friday.
“I’m truly hurt by the one-sided account that appeared on a blog about me yesterday. I only wish the reporter had spoken to me first, so they would have heard the truth,” Tinsley, 54, said in response to Frost-Winn’s claims which were first reported by Consequence of Sound on Thursday.
“I will defend myself against these false accusations. I can only assume the motivation for the article and the lawsuit filed against me,” added Tinsley, who has two children with wife Emily.
He concluded, “These accusations have caused embarrassment for my family, my friends and my fans. I will fight both in and out of court to repair the damage that has been done.”
A rep for the Dave Matthews Band told PEOPLE on Thursday: “Though Boyd is no longer a member of the band, we are shocked by these disturbing allegations and we were not previously aware of them.”
Frost-Winn filed a lawsuit in Washington, claiming Tinsley was “sexually flirting with verbal sexual comments, physically touching [and] sexting” as well as alleged “creepy, sex-based behavior” and “sexually predatory harassment” from April 2015 through August 2016.
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Frost-Winn is suing for damages for “loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and humiliation.” He is also seeking $9 million, according to Consequence of Sound.
Frost-Winn and Tinsley met in fall 2007 when he was 18 years old and homeless, according to the lawsuit. They had struck up a friendship for years before he joined in Tinsley’s band, Crystal Garden, in July 2015.
In court documents, the trumpet player provides screenshots of text messages between the pair, with one of the exchanges from Tinsley stating: “You’re such boner material and I want you at your best. I’m actually masturbating to the thought of your shots.”
On Feb. 2, Frost-Winn’s lawyers reportedly sent a demand letter to Tinsley, looking for an out-of-court settlement for assault and harassment as reported by Consequence of Sound.
That same day, Tinsley announced on Twitter that he was taking “a break” from touring and from the Dave Matthews Band to “focus on my family & my health.”
The Dave Matthews Band’s new album, Come Tomorrow, is scheduled for a June 8 release. Their full North American tour kicks off on Friday in Texas and runs through September.
