New Jersey Governor John Corzine Seriously Injured and Hospitalized

Governor John Corzine Injured on Way to Oversee Rutgers-Don Imus Meeting

Breathing through a tube, broken leg, sternum, collar bone, and at least six ribs, New Jersey Governor John Corzine is in critical but stable condition at Cooper University Hospital after overnight surgery was performed after the governor's vehicle was run off the road by an erratic driver on New Jersey Garden State Parkway.

Thursday evening, on his way to oversee the meeting which had been setup between Rutger's lady's basketball team head coach C. Vivian Stringer and former talk show host Don Imus, Gov. John Corzine's Chevrolet Tahoe sport utility vehicle was forced from the road by another vehicle that was being driven erratically and apparently the driver still can't be located.

In the vehicle with Gov. Corzine were driver State Trooper Robert Rasinski, and an aide, Samantha Gordon. They too, sustained serious enough injuries for one to be taken away on a stretcher in an ambulance and another to be taken by medevac helicopter. Gov. John Corzine was taken by medevac helicopter to University Hospital and underwent two hours of surgery overnight. It is reported that the governor had to receive two liters of fluid at the scene to replace the volume of blood he'd lost.

Ironically, an unsigned bill currently on Corizine's desk is the "Skinner's and Michelle's Law," which imposes tougher penalties for motorists who kill or seriously injure people in hit-and-run accidents. The bill received final legislative approval on March 12.

As of now the law allows for five years in prison and $15,000 in fines for a hit-and-run involving a fatality, a third-degree crime. One leading to serious injury is a fourth-degree crime punishable by 18 months in prison and $10,000 in fines.

The bill before Corzine raises hit-and-runs to second degree crimes that carry penalties of 10 years in jail and $150,000 in fines. Hit-and-runs causing serious injury would become third-degree crimes.