Surgery on injured New Jersey governor's leg successful as search continues for driver of red pickup

Surgery on Gov. Jon S. Corzine's injured leg was successful Saturday and he is slowly recovering from the serious injuries he sustained in an automobile crash, doctors said.

Doctors cleaned a 15-centimeter wound in his left thigh. Dr. Robert F. Ostrum said he would perform a similar procedure again Monday at Cooper University Hospital.

The governor is not able to speak and not aware of his surroundings. He was expected to remain on a ventilator until at least Monday, doctors said.

"His vital signs are slowly, I will reiterate slowly, improving," Ostrum said.

Meanwhile, authorities searched for the red pickup truck whose driver apparently caused Thursday night's crash on the Garden State Parkway.

Corzine _ who was riding in a sport utility vehicle driven by a state trooper and headed to a meeting between radio show host Don Imus and the Rutgers women's basketball team _ apparently was not wearing his seat belt, as required by law. The crash occurred when the SUV was hit by another vehicle that swerved to avoid the pickup truck, sending the SUV into a guard rail.

Witness Bobby Juska said he saw Corzine's feet hanging out the passenger side window. "He was screaming, 'My leg! My leg!" Juska said.

The governor's femur bone was broken in two places, and it protruded through his skin. He also suffered a broken sternum, 12 broken ribs, a head laceration and a minor fracture on a lower vertebra, according to doctors at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where he was flown by helicopter after the crash.

His injuries were not considered life-threatening, but doctors say the governor faces lengthy rehabilitation. And it will likely be at least three to six months before he can walk normally.

He was moved to the trauma intensive care unit after surgery Thursday night and remained in critical but stable condition Saturday. He had another surgery scheduled Monday, also to clean out his leg.

Corzine, 60, did not suffer any brain damage in the crash. But doctors said he won't be able to resume his duties as governor for several days, if not weeks. Senate President Richard Codey officially became acting governor Thursday evening after getting a fax from Corzine's office saying the governor had been injured.