Apr 12, 2007 11:08 pm US/Eastern
Gov. Corzine OK Following Surgery On Broken Leg
Doctor: More Procedures Needed In Coming Days
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) ―
-
-
Corzine reportedly suffered a broken leg in the accident. His injuries were not apparently life-threatening.
Stan Honda-Pool/Getty Images
-
-
CBS 2 has learned New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine was involved in a car accident on the Garden State Parkway on Thursday night.
CBS
CBS 2 has learned New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is recovering following successful surgery on his broken left leg. Corzine, 60, suffered multiple injuries in an early evening car accident on the Garden State Parkway on Thursday.
Dr. Steven Ross, trauma director at Cooper University Hospital, said earlier the governor's injuries were not life threatening and he did not suffer a head injury.
Dr. Robert Ostrum said the surgery on Thursday night was success, but noted that the governor will need two more operations on his leg in the coming days. Doctors also inserted a breathing tube due to the sternum and multiple rib injuries Corzine suffered in the crash.
Ostrum said the tube would remain "for days to weeks, until (Corzine) is able to breathe on his own again."
State Senate President Richard Codey became acting governor Thursday night and will serve indefinitely. Ostrum said Corzine would not be able to conduct his gubernatorial duties as long as he was on the breathing tube.
Corzine was in Atlantic City Thursday afternoon to speak at the New Jersey Conference of Mayors annual conference, and at the time of the crash had been heading back to the governor's mansion in Princeton to attend a meeting between the Rutgers women's basketball team and radio host Don Imus.
A state trooper and an aide to the governor were also injured in the crash, authorities said.
Chopper footage showed a fire engine, an ambulance and multiple emergency vehicles next to a dark-colored SUV that was stopped off the shoulder of the Parkway near mile marker 44.5. Debris was scattered around the vehicle, but there didn't appear to be heavy damage to the car.
During a news conference at the hospital Thursday night, state police Superintendent Rick Fuentes said the crash happened after a state trooper driving the Chevrolet Suburban carrying Corzine swerved to avoid hitting another vehicle that was out of control. The Suburban avoided contact with other vehicles, but struck a guardrail and came to a rest with its rear end over the top of the rail.
The SUV was driven by Trooper Robert Rasinski, whose injuries were not disclosed.
"It looks as if the trooper did a tremendous job doing what he could to maintain control of that vehicle," Fuentes said.
The trooper driving the Suburban was also injured in the accident. He was taken to an Atlantic City-area hospital for treatment.
Corzine was taken from the car and put on a stretcher. He was then taken via helicopter to Cooper University Hospital, where he later had surgery.
The governor does not usually wear a seat belt, the law enforcement official said, but it is unknown whether he was wearing one at the time of the crash.
Stay with CBS 2 and wcbstv.com for more on this developing story.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Controversy Grows Over 9/11 NYC Terrorist Trials 15 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Comments