New Jersey — Comedian Tracy Morgan’s fiancee, Megan Wollover, asked fans to stop speculating about his health Tuesday after false rumors surfaced that he could lose his leg as a result of the weekend traffic accident that left him gravely injured.
“The concern for his well-being has been overwhelming, but Megan is respectfully asking that the media await official word through these channels before speculating (mostly inaccurately) on his condition,” Morgan’s publicist Lewis Kay said in a statement. “Rumors about amputating his leg are completely fabricated.”
Morgan suffered several injuries, including broken ribs, a broken nose and a broken leg, when a tractor-trailer struck the limo bus he was traveling in early Saturday on the New Jersey Turnpike.
The collision killed Morgan’s fellow passenger, comedian James McNair, who performed under the name Jimmy Mack, and injured several others on the bus.
Morgan underwent surgery for the broken leg Sunday and is likely to remain hospitalized for several weeks, Kay said Monday. He remains in critical but stable condition, Kay said.
“This recovery will be arduous and we hope that you can be patient during this difficult time,” Kay said in Tuesday’s statement.
The truck driver who police say caused the accident has been charged with vehicular homicide and assault by auto.
According to a criminal complaint, Kevin Roper, 35, had been awake for more than 24 hours at the time of the crash. He failed to notice traffic slowing in front of him and hit Morgan’s bus despite trying to swerve out of the way, police said.
Roper, a driver for Walmart, posted $50,000 bond and was released from jail Saturday night.
Walmart said in a statement that it believed Roper was operating within federal rest guidelines, but said it would take full responsibility should the investigation show its truck caused the accident.
Morgan, 45, was a regular on “Saturday Night Live” for seven years. He later received an Emmy nomination for his role in the comedy series “30 Rock,” in which he played Tracy Jordan, an exaggerated version of himself.
