Reid's Wife, Daughter On Mend After Crash

The wife and daughter of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are recovering from a violent crash last week that left them with injuries that could have been much worse, he told reporters Tuesday.

"It was a very violent collision," a still-shaken Reid said in his first comments on the crash Thursday.

He said his wife of 50 years, Landra, 69, and daughter Lana Barringer, 49, were returning from a shopping trip in Virginia when a tractor-trailer slammed into their minivan, crushing two rows of seats behind the women.

Landra, who Reid said doesn't remember the impact, was left with a broken back, neck and nose. Daughter Lana was "cut up and shook up" and is seeing a neurologist this week because she feels dizzy, Reid said.

Landra's injuries most concerned the doctors, because her neck was broken in a location that can cause paralysis. But after surgery, she regained the use of her arm and is now home wearing a neck brace, Reid said.

"She's doing just fine," Reid said.

Virginia State Police said Mrs. Reid and her daughter were traveling northbound on I-95 near Washington in stop-and-go traffic Thursday when their minivan was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Alan W. Snader, 59, of Ohio, was charged with reckless driving, police said. He was not injured.