Tracy Morgan Transferred to Rehab; Fellow Passengers Upgraded

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Category: Entertainment News

Published on Sunday, 22 June 2014 19:57

Written by Janet Walker

Actor and comedienne Tracy Morgan, who along with two fellow passengers survived a near full impact rear end collision that caused a six car chain reaction, has been transferred to rehab facility as his long road to recovery  begins.

Morgan who survived the crash that killed his long time friend and mentor, James  "Jimmy Mack" McNair, and left the Emmy nominated actor with a broken leg, broken femur, a broken nose, broken ribs, cuts and bruises.

Morgan, along with several friends were returning from a stand up gig in Delaware, when the Mercedes Mini-Bus carrying the group was struck, at near full impact, from behind, causing it to flip and setting off a chain reaction accident on the New Jersey Turnpike that killed one and injured Morgan, three other passengers, two seriously, and another passenger.

Two other passengers, Jeffrey Millea, of Shelton, Connecticut, and comedian Ardie Fuqua Jr. were also listed in critical condition and have recently been upgraded to fair. Harrison Stanton, also a comedienne, was treated and released.

Morgan was returning to his Bergen County home when the crash occurred at approximately 1: 00 AM EST after the driver of a Wal-Mart semi tractor trailer failed to adjust his speed to the traffic flow and swerved to avoid striking one car and slammed into the rear of the Mercedes SUV Mini bus carrying the celebrity and his guests.

Airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, Morgan remained in intensive care throughout the evening until his vitals could stabilize.

Morgan best known for his role on "30 Rock" was also a comedic sketch artist on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." He was returning from stand up gig in Delaware.

Kevin Roper, 35, of Jonesboro, Georgia, the Wal-Mart truck driver, from Georgia was charged with death by auto and four counts of assault by auto. He has since pled not guilty. His bail was set at $50,000.00.

Sleep deprivation, as Roper was barely inside the legal limits associated with long haul travel, has been mentioned as possible cause of the crash.

Investigators have said Roper failed to yield to the speed limit that had been lowered due to construction.  He smashed into the back of the Mercedes limo bus, prompting a chain-reaction crash with a second tractor-trailer, an SUV and two cars.