Kevin Hart undergoes back surgery after car crash, expected to fully recover
Kevin Hart is on the mend after this past weekend’s terrifying car crash. The 40-year-old comedian underwent surgery for "major back injuries" suffered during the accident, but is expected to make a full recovery. He was a passenger in his car when the driver, friend Jared Black, lost control and veered off the road in the hills above Malibu early Sunday morning.
Leland "Pookey" Wigington, the president of Hart's production company, told NBC News on Tuesday that Hart "is doing fine after back surgery and is expected to have a full recovery very soon."
Cops are investigating whether speed was a factor in the crash as TMZ claims a witness heard heard tires screeching, shortly followed by the sound of the car smashing through fencing. A spokesman for the California Highway Patrol confirms to Yahoo Entertainment they are looking at excessive speed as a factor.
"It's something we look at with pretty much every collision, so it's not really unique to this collision," CHP officer Weston Haver explained. "A lot of time speed is a factor... but that is something the investigating officer is looking into."
Black was behind the wheel of Hart's beloved vintage Plymouth Barracuda when it crashed about 10 feet off Mulholland Highway and into a ditch. TMZ obtained wreckage photos that showed the roof completely crushed by impact and the car destroyed.
Black was found pinned in the driver's seat under the roof. A female passenger, identified as Black’s fiancé Rebecca Broxterman, was also pinned. Black, who police say had not been drinking, was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center and his condition is unknown. Broxterman was unharmed. Hart left the scene after being picked up by his security, a witness told TMZ, and was taken to his nearby home. He was later treated for his injuries at a local hospital.
On Monday, Eniko Hart told TMZ her husband was "going to be just fine," saying he was "great" and "awake," but declined to comment further about his condition. The Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star has yet to issue a public statement about the incident. He bought himself the Barracuda in July as a 40th birthday present.
Prior to the crash, Hart posted a photo of himself "happy" at home.
Well-wishes for Hart have been pouring in on social media. Dwayne Johnson told his friend to "stay strong."
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle’s newsletter.
