Car Crashes

Kevin Hart remains in the hospital in intense pain, but we're told in a matter of days he'll be transferred to a rehab facility where he will begin a grueling recovery regimen.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, the good news is that he is not suffering any paralysis, nerve damage or numbness as a result of the horrific car accident that left him with 3 spinal fractures ... fractures that required fusion in surgery.

We're told Kevin's spirits are "ok," but he's not entirely with it because he's still on heavy pain medication. Nevertheless, the pain is bad.

The plan, we're told, is for Kevin to be moved to a rehab facility early next week, but there's a possibility he could go as early as this weekend. Our sources say the rehab process will take "months and months." Of course, he won't remain in the rehab facility ... he'll do outpatient rehab once he's released.

Kevin Hart's serious car crash and lengthy rehab won't impact two of his movies currently in production ... but he's got a slew of other projects that are now up in the air.

Our sources tell us ... Kevin just wrapped two big flicks -- "Fatherhood" and "Jumanji: The Next Level" -- only days before he suffered 3 spinal fractures during his horrific Labor Day weekend car accident.

Kevin was in Boston last week for his final day of shooting on "Fatherhood" ... he wrapped Tuesday, and was involved in the car crash the following Sunday morning in the Malibu Hills.

We're told Kevin previously finished his work on the 'Jumanji' sequel ... but the fate of his other movies is very much uncertain.

One of those projects is an action comedy called "My Own Worst Enemy" ... which Kevin is supposed to star in and produce. He's been tapped to play an agent with a license to kill, and the plot calls for him to get help from an unlikely source.

Problem is ... Kevin's staring down weeks -- if not months -- of grueling physical rehab on his surgically-repaired back. Not the ideal precursor for starring in an action movie.

Kevin's team is mum on whether the schedule for "My Own Worst Enemy" will be affected by his injuries, and they won't say if he'll even be able to appear in the movie.

Kevin Hart was definitely a passenger in the car crash that landed him in the hospital ... we know that because our law enforcement sources tell us the physical evidence proves his friend was behind the wheel.

Our CHP sources tell us ... Kevin's friend, Jared Black, was indisputably driving early Sunday morning. They know that because we're told he was trapped in the driver's seat in such a way that the firefighters had to literally cut the wreckage around him to extricate him from the vehicle.

We're told Jared also had injuries consistent with a steering wheel impact.

Our sources say both Jared and Kevin had back injuries, and they believe it's because the car did not have seat belt harnesses. The car -- a 1970 tricked out Plymouth Barracuda -- only had lap belts and, when there's a forceful impact, it often creates serious back injuries because the body lunges forward.

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin had 3 spinal fractures in the lumbar and thoracic areas, and surgeons fused the vertebrae. He will remain in the hospital at least through the week and will have to endure a very long rehab. He's currently in extreme pain and heavily medicated.

We got shots yesterday of the accident scene in the Malibu area, where CHP officers were taking measurements. We're told they neglected to do that the morning of the accident and were doing belated due diligence.

Kevin Hart is in a grueling stage of recovery right now after doctors repaired THREE fractures to his spine ... suffered in his horrific Labor Day weekend car accident.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Kevin's Sunday night surgery involved fusing the fractures ... 2 of them in the thoracic section of his spine, and 1 in the lumbar. Although the procedure was a success, Kevin is still going through hell. We're told he has to be heavily medicated because the pain is just that intense.

That being said, it could have been much worse. Lumbar fractures can often result in at least difficulties walking, and at worst ... partial paralysis of the arms or legs. Luckily for Kevin, we're told doctors expect him to make a full recovery, but it's gonna be a long road back.

As we reported, he'll have several weeks -- if not months -- ahead of physical rehabilitation. Everyone knows Kevin is one of the hardest working guys in Hollywood, and our sources say the rehab process will almost certainly impact his jam packed work schedule.

Kev has at least 5 upcoming projects, and those are just the ones that have been announced.

As for where Kevin and his friends Jared Black and Rebecca Broxterman were on Saturday night before they crashed in the Malibu Hills -- we're told there was no wild night out on the town at a bar or restaurant.

Our sources say the group had spent the evening at Kevin and Eniko's Calabasas home. Kevin was clearly soaking up a rare day off Saturday when he posted a pic of himself jumping into his pool with the caption, "Being home makes me happy ... enjoy your weekend people."

Later that day he also posted a vid of himself behind the wheel of the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, peeling out on what looked like a local street.

TMZ broke the story ... the eyewitness who called 911 from the accident scene says he saw a security guard pull Kevin from the driver's side window of the wrecked muscle car. CHP says first responders found Jared pinned in the driver's seat when they arrived.

Kevin Hart's car careened off the road, a witness surveyed the damage and called 911 to report there were people stuck, and first responders would need to cut them out of the vehicle.

The male caller said there were 2 people stuck, but "There was 3 [people] I guess" -- referring to the fact Kevin's security had already taken him from the crash scene.

The caller said everyone was conscious, but "scared because they're stuck in there." He added, "The roof is crushed, the car is pretty totaled."

It sounds like there was at least one other civilian on the scene trying to help before cops and the fire department arrived. Something new we learned from this call is that the driver, Jared Black, was able to free himself from the car eventually.

The caller said Jared "looked hurt," but the woman -- Jared's fiancee, Rebecca Broxterman -- was still stuck inside the destroyed 1970 Plymouth Barracuda. You can hear him yelling to both Jared and Rebecca to "stay calm, help's coming!"

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin, Jared and Rebecca violently veered off the infamous Mulholland Highway around 12:45 AM Sunday morning. Both Kevin and Jared suffered what police called "major back injuries" ... while Rebecca was able to walk away with some minor pains.

We know Kevin underwent successful back surgery on Sunday night, but will need weeks of physical rehab before he's fully recovered. It's still unclear what Jared's condition is after being airlifted to UCLA Medical Center.

Police are investigating the crash and say excessive speed might have been a factor. As we reported, a witness reported hearing tires peeling out moments before hearing the car smash through a fence as it flew off the road.

The "Fastest Woman on Four Wheels" was traveling at a breathtakingly incredible speed for well over a minute -- with no signs of trouble -- just before her fatal jet-car crashed.

This video of Jessi Combs' final ride -- obtained by TMZ -- shows the professional racer absolutely flying across the Alvord Desert in Oregon last week as she attempted to break the land-speed record she'd previously set in 2016.

Shortly after this footage ends, the vehicle started to come apart. As we reported, Combs' jet-powered car crashed and killed her. Photos of the wreckage show the 56-foot-long jet-car -- called the North American Eagle -- was destroyed with only a few parts even recognizable after the horrific accident.

According to the Harney County Sheriff's Office ... the cause of the crash is still unknown and under investigation.

Along with setting land-speed records that earned Jessi her moniker -- she was a TV personality with notable appearances on "MythBusters" and "Overhaulin'."

Kevin Hart is on the mend, but he won't be out of the woods for a long time, the comedian will require extensive physical therapy ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Kevin tell us he's expected to be released from the hospital by the end of the week. However, he'll have a heavy physical therapy workload in the coming weeks, along with a steady schedule of follow-up doctors appointments.

While we've been told Kevin's Sunday night back surgery was a success -- there's still work to be done to ensure he comes back 100 percent.

TMZ broke the story ... cops say Kevin was riding shotgun in his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda early Sunday morning when it careened off Mulholland Highway, leaving the driver and a backseat passenger pinned. Kevin left the scene to get medical help and was taken to a nearby hospital.

Crash investigators told us alcohol was not a factor, but we are told cops are looking into excessive speed as a possible cause of the wreck. A witness within earshot of the crash said they heard tires screeching -- like the vehicle was peeling out -- before hearing a loud boom.

Moments before Kevin Hart's muscle car violently veered off the road, the driver was peeling out ... according to at least one witness, and cops are paying close attention to that information.

A witness who was within earshot of the Sunday morning crash tells TMZ ... they heard the tires screeching, followed shortly thereafter by the sound of the car smashing through fencing.

As we've reported, Kevin's friend, Jared Black, was behind the wheel at 12:45 AM ... and cops say he had just turned onto Mulholland Highway from Cold Canyon Road when, for some reason, he lost control of the car. The skid marks show exactly where he careened into the fence, and landed in a ditch 10 feet off the road.

Cops say the roof of the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda was crushed on top of Black and his fiancee, Rebecca Broxterman. Kevin was able to escape the vehicle.

Law enforcement sources tell us CHP investigators are absolutely looking into speed as a possible factor for Black losing control.

As we reported, Black was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center ... unclear what his condition is now.

Kevin underwent back surgery on Monday and remains hospitalized in recovery. His wife, Eniko, says he's "going to be fine."

Kevin Hart is on the mend this morning after going under the knife Sunday ... less than 24 hours after he injured his back in that horrific car accident.

A source connected to Kevin tells us doctors completed successful back surgery on Kevin Sunday evening. Another source told us the comedian is expected to remain in the hospital for at least a couple of days while he recovers.

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin was miraculously able to walk away from the accident early Sunday morning on L.A.'s treacherous Mulholland Highway -- with assistance from a bodyguard -- but was rushed to a hospital with what cops called a "major back injury."

Jared Black, the man who was driving Kevin's vintage Plymouth Barracuda at the time of the accident, was pinned in the crushed vehicle and also seriously injured. He was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center and we're told he's surrounded by family members as he also recovers.

Cops say Jared's fiance, celebrity trainer Rebecca Broxterman, was pinned in the backseat ... but firefighters pulled her from the wreckage without major injuries.

One of Kevin Hart's classic cars ended up in a ditch in the Malibu Hills after veering off the road ... TMZ has learned, and looking at the damage ... it's a miracle he and 2 other people in the vehicle survived.

The accident happened just before 1 AM Sunday on the winding and treacherous Mulholland Highway. Crash scene video, obtained by TMZ, shows Kevin's Plymouth Barracuda deep in a gully about 10 feet off the road.

The car smashed through wooden fencing along the roadside, and you can see the roof was completely crushed by the impact.

Cops have confirmed the vehicle belongs to Kevin, but they tell us he was not driving at the time of the accident. There were 2 other people were in the car, including the driver -- and cops say Kevin and the driver both suffered "major back injuries."

The third person is a woman who did not require hospital treatment. Police say the driver had not been drinking.

Kevin was first out of the vehicle and according to a witness, a member of his security team showed up in an SUV and picked him up. Kevin lives nearby and cops say he went home "to get medical attention." He was eventually treated at a hospital.

Earlier, on Saturday ... Kevin posted a video of himself in his vintage ride, as someone yelled at him for laying down too much rubber on the street as he spun out his tires.

Kevin bought the car back in July as a 40th birthday gift to himself.

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez were riding in a SUV when it allegedly bowled over a man in an L.A. alleyway ... at least according to a lawsuit he's filed against the superstar couple.

In the docs obtained by TMZ ... Liyanage Perera claims he was walking behind an eatery off Melrose Ave last October when he was hit by the Cadillac SUV in which A-Rod and J Lo were passengers.

He doesn't name the restaurant in the suit, but we believe it was Craig's, because we have this video of their SUV striking a paparazzo.

In the suit, Liyanage claims he was seriously injured and he's going after the singer and baseball player to cover medical expenses, plus damages. The suit makes no mention of Liyanage's profession.

Liyanage admits A-Rod and J Lo were not behind the wheel, but in the suit he claims they failed to instruct their security team to be careful as they pulled away from the restaurant. He also points out they didn't stop to check on him ... or as he puts it ... "they quickly fled the scene."

As we reported at the time, Liyanage had a report with the Sheriff's Dept., but no criminal charges were ever filed. Law enforcement sources told us pedestrians are not allowed to block a vehicle by standing in front of it, and drivers are permitted to creep forward.

Moments after Cedric Benson crashed his motorcycle into a minivan Saturday, several bystanders slammed on their brakes and raced to the scene to try to save the ex-NFL star's life, new video shows.

The raw footage is graphic so we're not publishing it -- instead, we've cut screen grabs showing the efforts to save Cedric and his female passenger ... with one person even using a fire extinguisher to put out flames on the former running back.

As we previously reported, Benson and his passenger were riding a BMW motorcycle on a popular highway in Austin, Texas at around 10:20 p.m. when he collided with a white minivan.

In new footage obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see at least 6 cars have pulled over near the crash and a handful of people raced over to Cedric to help out.

The video shows Cedric's burning motorcycle propped against the driver's side door of the mini van, which is fully engulfed in flames. Cedric and his passenger are down on the road nearby.

The person who shot the video notes that no emergency personnel had arrived when the video was being shot -- you don't see any flashing lights.

One good Samaritan grabbed a fire extinguisher and tended to Benson, who appeared to be smoldering from the wreck.

Fire and rescue arrived a short time later -- but it was too late. Benson and his passenger were pronounced dead on the scene by law enforcement officials. No cause of death has been officially released.

36-year-old Benson had sadly posted a picture of his bike on Instagram just hours the before the crash, saying, "My Saturday evening."

We've reached out to the Austin Police Department for comment on the new footage ... and they say they'll have more details on the accident later Monday.

Ex-NFL running back Cedric Benson -- the #4 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft -- was killed in a motorcycle crash in Austin, Texas late Saturday night. He was only 36.

Benson -- who was a superstar at the University of Texas from 2001 to 2004 -- was reportedly driving his bike with a passenger when they got into an accident with another vehicle around 10 PM.

The passenger -- who has not yet been identified -- was also killed in the wreck. Two other adults were injured. Officials are investigating the accident. Unclear what specifically caused the crash.

Hours before the crash, Benson posted a photo of his motorcycle on social media with the caption, "My Saturday evening."

Benson was an incredible athlete -- he racked up more than 5,500 yards at Texas and won the Doak Walker Award (top running back in the country) his senior year.

He signed a rookie deal with the Bears -- 5 years, $35 mil -- and was a key part of Chicago's 2006 NFC Championship team.

Benson later played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers before retiring in 2012.

Benson had several off the field problems after his career -- he was arrested for drunk driving in 2017 and 2018.

Tony Cox -- who starred alongside Billy Bob Thornton as his elf sidekick in the 'Bad Santa' films -- just delivered a terrible gift to an unlucky kid ... a foot injury and a busted up bike.

The veteran actor struck the boy on his bike Thursday in L.A. as he was turning right onto a street, while the kid was cruising through the crosswalk. As you can see ... the collision resulted in the bicycle's front tire getting pinned under Tony's ride.

We're told the kid suffered an injury to his foot as he was knocked off his Schwinn ... but was alert and conscious after the accident. EMTs arrived shortly afterward and he was taken to the hospital ... thank God he was wearing a helmet.

We've placed a call in with the LAPD who says they're still investigating the incident.

Cox started his career in 1980s in films like "Spaceballs" and "Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype." He's also been in "My, Myself & Irene" with Jim Carrey.

Danny Trejo is the hero L.A. needs ... or at least one grandmother in L.A. desperately needed when her car flipped over trapping her infant grandchild in the backseat.

Danny was in the right place at the right time Wednesday afternoon when a driver allegedly ran a red light, and smashed into another vehicle ... which ended up on its roof.

The 75-year-old was in the area running errands when he came across the accident, and ran to assist. While grandma was stuck in the driver's seat of the flipped car, she kept screaming for Danny and 2 other Samaritans to help the baby boy, who was strapped in the car seat in the back.

Trejo says he climbed into the wreckage and -- with the help of the other heroic bystanders -- was able to pull the infant to safety.

The grandmother had to be freed from the wreck by firefighters. Both grandma and kid were reportedly transferred to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Trejo described helping the little boy to stay calm by saying "OKAY, we have to use our superpowers. So, he screamed 'superpowers' and we started yelling 'superpowers.'" I said, "do this, with the muscles. He said 'muscles.'"

Yeah ... there's that warm, fuzzy feeling.

Kendrick Norton -- the NFL player who lost most of his left arm in a horrific car crash -- wants to SHOW what life is like as an amputee ... and he's keeping it all the way real in an inspiring new video.

As we previously reported, Norton (a 7th-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft) was battling for a roster spot with the Miami Dolphins when he crashed his truck on July 4 with his girlfriend, Kira, in the vehicle.

Now, more than a month after the accident, the 22-year-old is showing his daily cleaning regimen -- and talking extremely candidly about how his life has changed.

The funniest part of the video (yes, he mixes in humor) is that he's nicknamed his left arm, "Little Kenny" ... and considers it a "mini-arm" instead of a total loss.

Kendrick says he refuses to cry about the accident and the subsequent loss of his NFL career -- explaining, "Ain't no point in crying every day and being sad and stuff. Still got stuff to be done."

The good news ... Kendrick says his other injuries (mostly road rash wounds) are healing nicely and doesn't seem to be in pain.

His girlfriend, Kira, says she suffered internal bleeding from the crash -- but insists she's doing well now.

Kendrick says some of his daily tasks take longer to perform due to his amputated arm -- and admits it's frustrating -- but his attitude is remarkably positive.

"Don't worry about me too much," Kendrick says ... noting he's going to be okay and he's not suicidal.

He even gave a message to some of his fellow amputees who are looking up to him as a role model ...