Sad news today, the bass player Chi Cheng, for Deftones is in a coma after being in a car accident on Monday. Cheng had been in the studio recording their new album for 2009.

Sacramento Bee Reports:

Chi Cheng, 38, is in a “very serious” state, the paper quoted frontman Chino Moreno as saying.

“I don’t know everything that’s going on — I just know it’s very serious,” Moreno told the Bee.

“Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I’m praying that his strength will get him through this,” Moreno added in a note on the Deftones’ blog. “Please say a prayer for him as well.”

Cheng has been in the studio with Deftones working on the band’s next studio album, “Eros,” which is due in spring 2009 via Warner Bros. The Deftones’ most recent live show was in mid-September in Peoria, Ariz.

What a bummer. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.