N.J. Governor Breaks Bones in Highway Crash

CAMDEN, N.J., April 12 -- Gov. Jon S. Corzine (D) was critically injured Thursday when his motorcade crashed en route to a meeting between radio personality Don Imus and the Rutgers women's basketball team, a doctor said.

Corzine, 60, suffered numerous broken bones, including his sternum and several ribs, but his injuries were not considered life-threatening, officials said. He was recuperating early Friday in critical but stable condition at Cooper University Hospital in Camden after two hours of surgery to repair a seriously damaged leg and other injuries.

Dr. Robert Ostrum said the governor would need two more operations on his left leg. Doctors also inserted a breathing tube that will remain "for days to weeks, until (Corzine) is able to breathe on his own again," Ostrum said.

State Senate President Richard Codey will serve as acting governor while Corzine is hospitalized.

The crash occurred shortly after 6 p.m. on the Garden State Parkway. A pickup truck swerved onto the right shoulder of the road and then came back onto the highway, said State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes. Another pickup in the right lane swerved into the passenger side of the sport-utility vehicle in which Corzine was riding, he said.

The trooper driving the vehicle, Robert Rasinksi, suffered minor injuries and was resting comfortably, Fuentes said.