TRAVIS frontman Fran Healy has revealed that he managed to escape a carjacking in downtown Los Angeles.
The Scots musician said a man tried to drag him out of his car window this morning while he was in the car park area at his studio.
The 49-year-old got a lucky escape after punching his attacker and managing to escape.
Healy, who grew up in Glasgow but has been living in Los Angeles for five years, let his fans know about the incident on Twitter this morning.
Posting to his 47,000 followers, Healy said: “Almost got carjacked inside the parking facility of my studio. Man! That was close.
“Huge guy tried to pull me out my car window. Managed to get away. DTLA (downtown Los Angeles) is mental.
“As the adrenaline dissipates, my right hand is hurting like I punched a wall. I hooked the guy really hard in the face a few times while he was all in my window.
“He didn’t flinch. Didn’t even register it. I was like ‘Aww balls’.”
Despite the frightening experience, the singer-songwriter appears to be in good spirits, writing: “Possible headline tomorrow ‘Fran Theft Auto’?”
Travis fans weighed in to show support for the musician, with one person even suggesting Healy returns back to Scotland for his own safety.
A Twitter user said: “Oh my Fran, I hope you are okay. What a horrible experience. Please take care.”
Another replied: “He was there chasing cars. Ah bugger, wrong band! Hope you’re alright mate. LA can be a weird place at the best of times.”
A third commented: “Jeez. So sorry to hear that, and so glad you’re okay.”
A fourth added: “That’s just crazy. Get the ice pack out.”
And a fifth said: “Get tae Glesga where it’s safe.”
Healy has acted as the lead singer and lyricist for Travis since 1991 after being asked to audition by the band’s drummer Neil Primrose.
Some of the band’s biggest hits include Why Does It Always Rain On Me? and Sing.
Healy has lived in Los Angeles with wife Nora and son Clay since 2016, after moving there from Berlin.
Whilst living in Berlin he was victim of another vehicle-related crime when his “beloved” Volkswagen campervan was taken from outside a TV studio.
The musician has not had the best of luck since moving to the US’s most populous state.
In 2020, he slammed his “horrible” neighbour, who began construction of a house next door to his peaceful home in 2016, with work ongoing for four years.
The singer complained of the man’s rudeness, noise starting at 7am each morning and the fact that he had torn down a fence between the homes.
Healy has since sold that home but was then “mauled” by a dachshund in October last year.
He took to Twitter at the time detailing how he had attempted to save the dachshund, which was making a break from the scene of a car crash in LA.
However, when he attempted to pick the pooch up, it “mauled the s**t” out of his left hand.
The dog then managed to slip free of his grasp and darted away.
