CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers' quarterback and Atlanta-area native Cam Newton was involved in a crash in Charlotte Tuesday afternoon, seriously injuring his back.
Police said the 2-vehicle crash happened around 12:30 p.m. on the Church Street bridge over Interstate 277 -- one block from Bank of America Stadium.
The Panthers tweeted that Newton is in fair condition and undergoing tests at Carolinas Medical Center and will remain there overnight for observation.
Newton has two transverse process fractures in lower back, doctors told the Panthers.
A police source told WSOC-TV a driver pulled out in front of Newton’s truck and Newton tried to avoid the other car.
Witnesses said the impact caused Newton's truck to flip four times.
Police haven't identified the woman who was driving the other car and said the accident report may not be finished until Wednesday.
“I was listening on my radio and when I looked to the left, this car had collided with the truck right here and it had flipped like four times,” said witness Tony Douglas.
“He was in a lot of pain, but he was alright. They put him on a stretcher,” Douglas said. “I just seen Cam Newton -- the quarterback -- I was fixing to take a picture of him, but I'm shocked and I'm just glad he's alright.
The first caller breathlessly described what she was seeing from moment to moment:
"The truck is on its side, there's somebody inside," the caller said. "Oh no, maybe they are ejected. There's somebody on the side of the road."
Another driver called in from Interstate 277 below Church Street.
"I'm on the highway, I was rolling; I was on the highway when it flipped over."
In a news conference at the hospital, Panthers public relations representative Charlie Dayton said Newton has no other internal injuries aside from the fractures.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo suffered a similar injury in the team's Oct. 27 game against Washington.
http://twitter.com/Atlanta_Falcons/status/542440498141474817
Romo missed one game with the injury.The transverse process is a small bone that sticks out of either side of the vertebrae.
Team owner Jerry Richardson went to the hospital to see Newton, but the quarterback was undergoing tests at the time.
Richardson had to leave before he got a chance to see Newton.
WSOC-TV reported some other Panthers players went to the hospital to see him too.
Newton went to Westlake High School in south Fulton County and attended Auburn University.
http://twitter.com/Panthers/status/542449472542765056
WSBTV
