Was N.J. Governor Wearing Seat Belt?

Aide Says Jon Corzine Apparently Was Not When He Was Injured In Crash

(CBS/AP)  Gov. Jon S. Corzine was apparently riding without a seat belt, in violation of state law, when he was critically injured in the crash of his official vehicle, a spokesman said Friday.

A state trooper was at the wheel and the governor was sitting as usual in the front passenger seat when the SUV slammed into a guard rail Thursday night, authorities said. Corzine broke a leg, his breastbone, 12 ribs and a vertebra.

Corzine, 60, was sedated and on a breathing tube, and a doctor who helped treat him said the governor was fortunate he was not more seriously hurt.

"There's no way to tell specifically how close he came to more severe injuries, but based on pictures I've seen of the crash, I think he's lucky," said Dr. Steven E. Ross, trauma chief at Cooper University Hospital.

Ross said Corzine was stable and improving, and could be removed from a ventilator within the next few days. But a spokesman said it is unclear how long it will take before the governor is well enough to return to work.

"Fully functioning is going to be a while, but in terms of being able to operate the state from confinement, I would expect maybe 10 days, two weeks or whatever," state Senate President Richard Codey, who took over as acting governor while Corzine recovers, told WCBS-AM Friday morning.

State police were looking for the driver of a pickup truck they believe caused the crash and fled. That driver could be charged with careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. The governor himself could face a citation.

New Jersey law requires all front-seat occupants of a vehicle to wear a seat belt. Violators face a $46 fine.

Corzine chief of staff Tom Shea said he did not believe the governor had been wearing his seat belt.

"If he was not, he certainly should have been," Shea said, "and we would encourage the state police to issue a citation."

Shea said Corzine usually wears his seat belt. When asked why the trooper who was driving would not have asked Corzine to put on his seat belt, Shea said the governor was "not always amenable to suggestion."

Corzine cannot speak because of the breathing tube down his throat, and state police said they have been unable to interview him about the accident.

Senate President Richard J. Codey, a fellow Democrat, took over as acting governor. It is a familiar role for Codey, who served the last 14 months of Gov. James E. McGreevey's term after he disclosed a gay affair and resigned in 2004.

The accident happened while Corzine was en route from Atlantic City to the governor's mansion in Princeton for a meeting between the Rutgers women's basketball team and radio host Don Imus, who was fired for using a slur to describe the athletes.

State Trooper Robert Rasinski was driving the governor's Chevrolet Suburban when another vehicle, swerving to avoid a pickup truck, hit the sport utility vehicle and sent it off the Garden State Parkway, authorities said. Police following the governor in another vehicle administered first aid to Corzine and called for a helicopter.

Rasinski also was injured. His condition was not disclosed, but Codey said he was expected to be released from the hospital Friday. A governor's aide in the vehicle was not hurt, authorities said.

The speed limit was 65 mph. State police said speed was not believed to be a factor, but they had no immediate word on how fast the SUV was going. Shea said he did not know whether its air bags deployed.

Authorities searched for the driver of the red Ford F-150 pickup truck blamed for the wreck, checking video cameras mounted at toll plazas along the highway. The motorist had been driving erratically just before the crash, state police said.

The accident marks the third straight time a New Jersey governor has broken a leg while in office. McGreevey broke his leg in 2002 during a nighttime walk on the beach, and Christie Whitman broke her leg while skiing in the Swiss Alps in 1999.

[j0hnwi11iams]

SOME americans are stupid a holes. Take a course in logic, moron.

Also, the sign of not wearing a seatbelt is HEAD injuries. I won't hold my breath waiting for all the retractions.

[randalds]

RandalDS, You are a trip!! lol
Posted by dog-x8 at 12:05 AM : Apr 14, 2007

Thanks, but my wife says the next trip I go on won't be our Mexican cruise this fall, but be on a blacked-out window plane to Cuba. Says she'll go on the Mexican cruise by herself then. Nice to know she's in my corner. lol!

[dog-x8]

RandalDS, You are a trip!! lol

[dog-x8]

Did the red Ford pickup make contact with the other vehicle? In the article it seems like all the "BLAME" is going to this person in the red truck. What happened to the people in the other vehicle? If the Gov. had died would the driver of the red pickup be charged with vehicular manslaughter? If he would have had his seat belt on he might have just gotten some bumps and bruises. I wear my seatbelt. Always have always will. Don't need anyone to tell me to have common sence.

[sandy19731]

Well, let's see if he had been wearing a seatbelt, how much less would the hospital bill be?
Not to mention the helicopter ride, the one that took my Dad to the hospital 10 years ago was about $10,000.00 don't imagine they have gone down much.

Now, I wonder who is going to pay...could it be the taxpayers....

Healthcare is to expensive as it is, put your seatbelts on.

[randalds]

Now if we can just get Bush to never wear a seat belt. Naw, we'd never be that lucky.

[thgdriver]

The Governor sure went to an extreme just to get out of that meeting.

[thgdriver]

buckle up! It's not only a good idea, it's the law! Click it or ticket!

Actually, I wear my seat belt all the time and tell others in my car/suv to put them on also. I just don't like big brother (our government) telling me I have to.

[kansas1946]

So effing what if he was not wearing a seat belt. Wearing or not wearing a seat belt is a person's own choice. I am so sick of this culture of blame in our country. It doesn't matter what happens, or who gets hurt, we are looking for someone to blame. He is the one suffering the consequences for his actions, not us. I can't believe this is even a headline on this news page. Pathetic.

[elgraz]

A very stupid remark amigo inventagod2,
Who should give a craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap what anyone else does. We all have a brain and free choice, use them. If you are stupid and arrogant enough not to put on a safety belt while driving because it's not the "macho" thing to do, then you deserve to get what you get amigo. I am sure that Corzine will wear a seat belt from now on when in a vehicle. after he goes to and fro in his wheelchair.

[kalatur2]

Al Sharpton caused this crash.

The rest stop there has a really awkward entrance back onto the parkway. Merging from that shoulder is really a pain when there's traffic going 70 mph.

[gunownerdan]

Let this be a lesson.
Wearing a seatbelt can mean the difference between a few small bruises or scratches, and serious injury or death.

[coyotebrains]

I may not agree with the Governor's position in some cases, but he is a human being and dedicated public servant who deserves our respect and prayers for his present condition. I am sure that he will acknowledge his regret for not wearing a seatbelt, if it proves out that he was not wearing one, and I am also sure that he will most likely be an avid supporter in the future of complying with the seatbelt law.
Regarding the Imus situation, the only parties that matter are Imus and the basketball tema. Now that they have accepted this apology, then the matter should be closed.

[houchin21]

you should stop talking about the seatbelt, yes he should have been wearing one but he got hurt and all you can talk about is him not wearing a seatbelt


(HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT)

[fizzal-2009]

Now just where is that
lt. govener that was suposedly unnessary position? Now your gona get that Cody back again and maybee he can tell you when ya run out of money too run the place and close down the casinos, just go too circuit city and get video equpment and when you go back too work you can watch high speed video of gambling, because when everybody doesn,t work the federal gov,t doesn,t get paid.

[inventagod2]

"Wow, great role model.

If the govener doesn't wear a saftey belt, why should I?
Posted by ckcool192000 at 02:01 PM : Apr 13, 2007"

I know your reply was a joke, but the guy would have probably walked away with bumps and bruises...

[jetlizhan]

was riding with a state trooper and didn't have on his seat belt? d@mn! unbelievable.

[ckcool192000]

Wow, great role model.

If the govener doesn't wear a saftey belt, why should I?

[oxmyx-2009]

Didntinhale should have. Maybe it would have dislodged the iron rod from his ***.