It was a particularly weird story to begin with: In the midst of a
mega-successful reunion tour, Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth was
reportedly pulled over by Canadian police who spotted him driving recklessly near the small hamlet of Oakland, Ontario. Roth―or at least a guy who identified himself as Diamond Dave―told the officers that he was actually suffering from a severe allergic reaction to nuts. Frank Crytes, a musician who was also riding in the car when it was stopped, later told police the incident stemmed from the pair simply stopping for a doughnut―apparently one with nuts.
The real Diamond Dave
The Ontario gendarmes quickly escorted the ailing rocker to Brantford General Hospital, where he was treated and released―but not before inviting two nurses to accompany him to the nearby Liquid Lounge club, where he thrilled patrons with an impromptu performance of “Ice Cream Man” backed by Phatstick, the local band who was gigging that night.
It wasn’t until the story began to spread via newswires and the net that Ontario police realized they might have a problem: On the night of the incident, David Lee Roth was performing with Van Halen at a sold-out show in Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden.
Constable Chris Thompson, one of the officers involved, says he was only trying to help a citizen in distress: “At the time I wasn’t star-struck, I was just trying to help him. The guy stuck out like a sore thumb. He was wearing a little silk scarf and flashy clothing―it’s not something you see in Oakland too often.”
The real Dave’s airtight alibi
It didn’t help matters that the officers in question hadn’t actually bothered to check “Roth”’s ID. His demeanor, rock star togs and alligator shoes were apparently good enough for them, the hospital, and club patrons. Not to mention the hairstylists who treated the singer to some complimentary work, or local music producer Dean Hajas, who said the singer “just phoned me out of the blue and asked if he could come over and do some work. He’s got some of my music…I talked to him on his cell phone yesterday and he said his publicist would be issuing a press release…to clear this mess up.”
Roth’s publicist did indeed quickly oblige, issuing a statement from Dave that said: "I was in Canada only from July first through the fourth for a performance at the Quebec City Summer Festival. I had no encounters or incidents with the police. The only thing I'm allergic to is criticism.”
Local sources soon identified the Roth wannabe as Cambridge, Ontario-born David Kuntz, variously described as a “fringe musician” and “scam artist.” And apparently an accomplished one, according to drummer Joe Lavergne, the local musician who jammed with him: “We weren’t totally convinced at first because so many people come to shows saying they are someone famous or related to a star. But in (his) case, he did pretty well.” The friendly singer told many who approached him that night to simply call him “Dave.”
‘Rhinestone’ Dave Kuntz
Six weeks earlier the same man had identified himself as David Lee Roth to area resident Bobbi-Jo King, then asked her to show him where a local AA meeting was being held. He explained his need to go to AA because of an alcohol allergy, using a line worthy of the real David Lee Roth: “Every time I drink alcohol I break out in cocaine.” King was so star-struck she first brought the musician home to meet and sign an autograph for her husband/Van Halen fan Bill, also introducing him to her neighbors, whom the impostor gifted with a pair of sunglasses.
Stranger still, when local Ontario reporters began digging into Kuntz’s real background, they found considerably more than the former drummer of a local band called Majesty―he’d been the key figure in a 1989 murder trial, portrayed as a skillful manipulator who had convinced one girlfriend to kill another, after ominously telling the defendant (eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity) he had “sold his soul.” In his testimony Kuntz―who was never charged for the crime―explained “it’s just an expression―you sold your soul to rock and roll.”
“He’s never changed,” noted one of Kuntz’s high school friends. “He was always hustling and scamming. I think he’s a sociopath. He’s got a talent for finding people who are gullible.”
Police have reportedly questioned Kuntz again of the recent revelations, while Bill King notes his own aggravating legacy from the incident: “I’ve been humiliated by this. I told all my friends (David Lee Roth) was here and now my (answering) machine is full of messages from them making fun of me.”