London, England, 7th February 2004, 6:09 AM GMT. Chimaira bassist Jim LaMarca has just been released from police custody. LaMarca and Chimaira’s drum tech ‘The Hammer’ were arrested by Scotland Yard police following an earlier incident involving Chimara’s drummer Ricky Evensand. “After we played an amazing sold out show in London, we had a few drinks with our friends from In Flames and Cradle Of Filth and we stepped outside the Crobar to find Ricky being assaulted by a number of local youths,” explains Chimaira frontman Mark Hunter. “Ricky had stepped in to defend a homeless man who was lying on the floor having the shit beaten out of him. ‘Hammer’ stepped in to protect Ricky and all hell broke loose.” An eyewitness account reports that the youths turned their attention to ‘Hammer’ and when the police arrived on the scene they arrested ‘Hammer’ on sight because he was still caught up in the ensuing melee. “And when you were thinking ‘what else can go wrong now?’, Jim got arrested,” continues Hunter. “He was just asking the police what was going on and they arrested him! I guess he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” LaMarca was released from custody without charge at 6:00 AM GMT Ricky escaped the incident without injury and is reportedly in good spirits. “As is Jim,” continues Hunter. “From talking to Scotland Yard I understand he was entertaining them with a Simon and Garfunkle rendition! No wonder they released him, I guess they just wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible!”