NJ Governor Seriously Injured

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is recuperating after two hours of surgery to repair a broken leg and other serious injuries sustained in an accident Thursday night.

New Jersey State Police are still looking for a red pickup truck that they said caused the accident that injured Corzine and two others shortly after 6:00 Thursday night on the Garden State Parkway near milemarker 43.5 in Galloway Township.

Corzine, 60, was taken to Cooper Hospital in Camden along with the state trooper who was driving and an aide.

Dr. Robert Ostrum said the surgery performed at Cooper University Hospital in Camden on Thursday night was a 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." However, Ostrum said the injuries were not considered life-threatening.

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, who was conscious when he arrived at the hospital, suffered a broken sternum, a broken collarbone, a slight fracture of the lower vertebrae and six broken ribs on each side in the crash. Corzine also had laceration on his head, but did not sustain any brain or spinal cord damage.

While I have my differences with Corzine, I wish him the best for a full and speedy recovery.