Deftones bassist seriously injured in crash

Chi Cheng, bassist with rock band the Deftones, is in a "serious but stable" condition after being involved in a car accident in California.

Lead singer Chino Moreno confirmed the musician was in a coma but declined to give further comment, telling the Sacramento Bee: "I don't know everything that's going on - I just know it's very serious."

Fellow band members are at the musician's side. "Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I'm praying that his strength will get him through this," Moreno wrote on the group's website.

The Deftones were signed to Madonna's Maverick Records label in 1995 and have recently been working on new material, expected for release next Spring.