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Roethlisberger hurt in motorcycle crash
Monday, June 12, 2006
By Michael A. Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was injured when his motorcycle was involved in a crash on Second Avenue near the 10th Street Bridge today.
Dr. Larry Jones of Mercy Hospital addressed the media at 1:25 p.m. and said that Roethlisberger was in serious but stable condition and was undergoing surgery for unspecified injuries.
Jones said that Roethlisberger was talking and cognizant of the situation.
Roethlisberger was injured shortly after 11:15 a.m. at the Second Avenue side of the bridge near the Armstrong Tunnel.
One Steelers source said Roethlisberger was in surgery for a broken jaw, an injury that can take approximately seven weeks to heal. The Steelers season starts in 12 weeks.
Retired halfback Jerome Bettis, in California today, was keeping in touch with some people in the organization and said the reports he's received are that Roethlisberger will be fine.
"First, it's good to see he's not in bad shape, as a friend, and to make sure he's OK," said Bettis. "Another good thing is it is minor enough that it shouldn't affect him on the field this fall."
Steelers' spokesman David Lockett would only confirm that Roethlisberger was involved in the accident and is being treated at Mercy Hospital.
An eyewitness said she saw a motorcycle headed outbound on Second Avenue as a car was coming inbound. The car, a Chrysler New Yorker with Maine plates, made a left turn toward the bridge in front of the cyclist. The motorcycle hit the car and the operator flew into the windshield and then hit the ground.
The witness said she went to the aid of the motorcyclist and asked his name. He said it was "Ben" and tried to get up, but she told him to stay still.
The victim was bleeding heavily from a head injury, and blood pooled on the pavement. The witness said he was not wearing a helmet.
Roethlisberger has been known to refuse to wear a helmet when operating his cycle.
The entire front end of the motorcycle, was destroyed. The car sustained damage on the passenger side door.
Sandra Ford, a Homewood writer and artist, was waiting for the bus on 10th Street about 11 a.m. She saw a rugged-looking white man with curly hair on his motorcycle driving along the avenue heading toward the 10th street bridge.
In the opposite direction, the Chrysler was approaching and preparing to make the turn.
"I kept waiting for the motorcyclist to slow down," she said. "He never stopped and just plowed into the car."
She said she believes Roethlisberger, who wasn't speeding, but going at a pretty good clip, never saw the car. "He had to be looking somewhere else, he just sailed across the intersection."
It was a crazy scene, said Ford, still shaken from the accident two hours after it happened. At the time of the accident, she did not know it was the Steeler's quarterback. She found out when she got home and saw the TV news.
Ford, said that she heard a crunching sounds and saw Roethlisberger fly from his motorcycle, which left a pretty big dent in the car, said Ms. Ford.
Afterward, Roethlisberger tumbled off the car and lay still in the street. "He lay so still, I thought he had died."
About 11:23, Ford began taking notes and talking to the driver of the car.
By this time, the driver had gotten from the car and asked Roethliesberger to remain still, he was trying to move.
"His face was all bloody. I saw blood pooling under his head."
Pittsburgh Police spokeswoman Tammy Ewin said that the department would issue a release in regards to the accident specifics around 3 p.m. today, but would not have information on Roethlisberger's condition. Ewin said that information would come from Steelers officials.
Police commander Thomas Stangrecki said that an accident reconstruction team would investigate the cause of the accident.
Ewen also stressed that accident investigations can take "weeks, not hours" to complete.
Steelers coach Bill Cowher addressed the issue with Roethlisberger in May 2005 after Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow's accident riding a Suzuki GSX-R750 in suburban Cleveland. Winslow hit a curb in a parking lot and was ejected from his bike, injuring his knee.
"It's one of those things, where he talked about being a risk-taker and I'm not really a risk-taker, I'm pretty conservative and laid back," Roethlisberger told the Post-Gazette. "So the big thing is just be careful and that's what we do. I think every person that rides is careful. That's the biggest thing, I'll just continue to be careful. I told him we never ride alone we always ride in a group of people, and I think that makes it more safe."
Winslow's contract forbade him from riding a motorcycle, Roethlisberger's contract does not prohibit him from riding motorcycles, even helmetless. The standard NFL contract prohibits risky behavior, but what constitutes risky behavior? Pennsylvania repealed its mandatory helmet law in 2003.
"I think that's my own discretion," Roethlisberger said about not wearing a helmet when he rides. "Obviously, Pennsylvania doesn't think people need to."
During an interview last year, Steelers Hall-of-Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw offered one piece of advice for Roethlisberger about his motorcycle.
"Ride it when you retire. That's the way I feel. Those things are dangerous."
Monday, June 12, 2006
By Michael A. Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was injured when his motorcycle was involved in a crash on Second Avenue near the 10th Street Bridge today.
Dr. Larry Jones of Mercy Hospital addressed the media at 1:25 p.m. and said that Roethlisberger was in serious but stable condition and was undergoing surgery for unspecified injuries.
Jones said that Roethlisberger was talking and cognizant of the situation.
Roethlisberger was injured shortly after 11:15 a.m. at the Second Avenue side of the bridge near the Armstrong Tunnel.
One Steelers source said Roethlisberger was in surgery for a broken jaw, an injury that can take approximately seven weeks to heal. The Steelers season starts in 12 weeks.
Retired halfback Jerome Bettis, in California today, was keeping in touch with some people in the organization and said the reports he's received are that Roethlisberger will be fine.
"First, it's good to see he's not in bad shape, as a friend, and to make sure he's OK," said Bettis. "Another good thing is it is minor enough that it shouldn't affect him on the field this fall."
Steelers' spokesman David Lockett would only confirm that Roethlisberger was involved in the accident and is being treated at Mercy Hospital.
An eyewitness said she saw a motorcycle headed outbound on Second Avenue as a car was coming inbound. The car, a Chrysler New Yorker with Maine plates, made a left turn toward the bridge in front of the cyclist. The motorcycle hit the car and the operator flew into the windshield and then hit the ground.
The witness said she went to the aid of the motorcyclist and asked his name. He said it was "Ben" and tried to get up, but she told him to stay still.
The victim was bleeding heavily from a head injury, and blood pooled on the pavement. The witness said he was not wearing a helmet.
Roethlisberger has been known to refuse to wear a helmet when operating his cycle.
The entire front end of the motorcycle, was destroyed. The car sustained damage on the passenger side door.
Sandra Ford, a Homewood writer and artist, was waiting for the bus on 10th Street about 11 a.m. She saw a rugged-looking white man with curly hair on his motorcycle driving along the avenue heading toward the 10th street bridge.
In the opposite direction, the Chrysler was approaching and preparing to make the turn.
"I kept waiting for the motorcyclist to slow down," she said. "He never stopped and just plowed into the car."
She said she believes Roethlisberger, who wasn't speeding, but going at a pretty good clip, never saw the car. "He had to be looking somewhere else, he just sailed across the intersection."
It was a crazy scene, said Ford, still shaken from the accident two hours after it happened. At the time of the accident, she did not know it was the Steeler's quarterback. She found out when she got home and saw the TV news.
Ford, said that she heard a crunching sounds and saw Roethlisberger fly from his motorcycle, which left a pretty big dent in the car, said Ms. Ford.
Afterward, Roethlisberger tumbled off the car and lay still in the street. "He lay so still, I thought he had died."
About 11:23, Ford began taking notes and talking to the driver of the car.
By this time, the driver had gotten from the car and asked Roethliesberger to remain still, he was trying to move.
"His face was all bloody. I saw blood pooling under his head."
Pittsburgh Police spokeswoman Tammy Ewin said that the department would issue a release in regards to the accident specifics around 3 p.m. today, but would not have information on Roethlisberger's condition. Ewin said that information would come from Steelers officials.
Police commander Thomas Stangrecki said that an accident reconstruction team would investigate the cause of the accident.
Ewen also stressed that accident investigations can take "weeks, not hours" to complete.
Steelers coach Bill Cowher addressed the issue with Roethlisberger in May 2005 after Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow's accident riding a Suzuki GSX-R750 in suburban Cleveland. Winslow hit a curb in a parking lot and was ejected from his bike, injuring his knee.
"It's one of those things, where he talked about being a risk-taker and I'm not really a risk-taker, I'm pretty conservative and laid back," Roethlisberger told the Post-Gazette. "So the big thing is just be careful and that's what we do. I think every person that rides is careful. That's the biggest thing, I'll just continue to be careful. I told him we never ride alone we always ride in a group of people, and I think that makes it more safe."
Winslow's contract forbade him from riding a motorcycle, Roethlisberger's contract does not prohibit him from riding motorcycles, even helmetless. The standard NFL contract prohibits risky behavior, but what constitutes risky behavior? Pennsylvania repealed its mandatory helmet law in 2003.
"I think that's my own discretion," Roethlisberger said about not wearing a helmet when he rides. "Obviously, Pennsylvania doesn't think people need to."
During an interview last year, Steelers Hall-of-Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw offered one piece of advice for Roethlisberger about his motorcycle.
"Ride it when you retire. That's the way I feel. Those things are dangerous."
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