'Moonshiner' Josh Owens Is Seemingly Prone to Injury

The cast of Moonshiners knows the illegal businesses they operate in the woods of Appalachia are dangerous, but that doesn't stop them from producing quality rye whiskey. 

Josh Owens is known for going to extreme lengths to make the perfect batch of shine, but that finger injury he sustained in 2016 had nothing to do with moonshining. "Could use ya prayers, looks like I lost my pointer finger… will know in a few days," he wrote, alongside some graphic photos of his mangled digit.

Josh hasn't provided too many details about his injury, but a Facebook friend named Chad Bowes shared with fans that Josh lost his finger after a "grinding wheel exploded." 

More recently, Josh, 40, was seriously injured again following a motorcycle accident. The Discovery Channel star slammed into a wall at 100 mph at a Florida race track last March. 

"Josh was in a wreck, but is OK," an update read on Facebook. "Broke nose, ribs, collapsed lung, lost the [rest] of his already amputated finger but not in immediate danger now. Will post more info when it becomes available. Please respect his privacy at this time and let him recover in peace." 

We know his loyal pup Cutie Pie will be right by his side as he heals. Following his crash, Josh revealed he was denied treatment. "I was denied care because of health insurance," he told the Charlotte Observer at the time. "Ain't no two ways about it."

He went on to detail the pain he was experiencing, adding, "I've had the most excruciating pain you could shake a stick at. I can't lean my head back without passing out."

Shortly after, Josh reassured fans he would keep starring on Moonshiners and would be back to racing. "Josh would like to thank everyone for all the help he has received from his fans, the good people in the biker community," the Facebook post read. "As soon as he can put his leg over a bike he is back at it. He is back shining as well, recovering at the beach." 

On the recent season of Moonshiners, Josh mixed business with pleasure after he came up with a way to build a hidden mobile still at a biker rally to make and sell his shine. 

However, we don't think Josh is worried about getting caught. "I'm not in jail because it's not evidence, for one, that I'm on TV making moonshine," he explained to Motorcycle USA. "And for two, I could be doing anything, it could be just water... [The cops] got a lot bigger fish to fry than somebody just making a little bit of something to sip on when alcohol's in every store and every bar in the countryside." 

Watch Moonshiners Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on the Discovery Channel.