“RuPaul’s Racing” alum Lucian Piane has passed away. He was 46 years old.
The reality star, who served as a composer, music producer and judge on the competition series, died Monday morning after being hit by a car in Glendale, California, TMZ reported.
First responders attempted to resuscitate him, but their efforts were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Piane’s cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s report obtained by the news outlet.
It was also reported on Tuesday that the television personality’s death was determined to be an accident.
Piane was taken into custody for being under the influence of a controlled substance while in Glendale on the Saturday before his death.
He ultimately received a ticket but was detained again the next day for an alleged assault on an emergency personnel or officer. Piane received another sentence and was scheduled to appear in court Monday.
World of Wonder, the production company behind “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” mourned Piane in an Instagram statement on Tuesday, writing: “We are devastated to learn of the passing of Lucian Piane.”
“Lucian leaves behind a truly beautiful musical legacy. May his struggles never tarnish the memories of a sweet man, a dear friend and a master musician. Rest in peace, Lucian,” the statement continued.
In the days before his death, Piane shared several videos of himself on the streets on Instagram, causing concern among his fans. He also celebrated one year of sobriety in August.
Piane was born on October 4, 1980, in Kansas City, Missouri, and later graduated from New York University in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in music composition.
He built his career as a composer and served as the musical assistant for the 76th Academy Awards in 2004, according to IMDB.
Piane also worked as a music and technology assistant on the 2007 musical “Hairspray,” which eventually earned him a Grammy nomination. He was also the orchestrator of 2008’s “Pretty Ugly People.”
The composer signed on with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” for Season 1 in 2009 and worked on the series through Season 8.
Piane was responsible for many of RuPaul’s biggest hits, including “Sissy That Walk,” “Cover Girl,” “Glamazon” and “Peanut Butter.”
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