Date: 8/1/2008 7:30 PM
By The Associated Press
Full text of statement released Friday by Michael Norris, a lawyer for “Transformers” actor Shia LaBeouf:
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“As you know, Shia was involved in a traffic collision last Sunday. He and his passenger were struck by another vehicle, as Shia was completing a left turn. The force of that impact immediately flipped Shia’s vehicle over, and, as a result, Shia’s left hand was crushed. We have continued to cooperate with the police, and the Sheriff’s Department has now released information that the other vehicle ran the red light while striking Shia’s truck. Our independent investigation of the accident is ongoing, but we have also received information that suggests that the other driver may have been traveling upwards of 50 mph, and that said driver may not have been looking forward at the time of the accident.
Shia and his family are very thankful for the efforts of medical personnel at the scene, and for all the care and understanding that we have received at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Shia underwent four hours of surgery on Sunday and has been recovering since then. His doctors remain hopeful that he will fully recover, but due to extensive surgery and the nature of the injuries, there remains a substantial risk of both infection and other complications.
Shia’s left arm remains fully immobilized from the elbow down, and he will need regular medical supervision until his doctors clear him to return to work. We are hopeful that this return will be sooner rather than later, and the ‘Transformers 2’ production company has rearranged their shooting schedule to accommodate this injury. We remain very grateful for their understanding.
We are very appreciative, again, of the patience that everyone has shown us, and of the many concerned citizens who have stepped forward to provide information regarding this collision. We would encourage anyone who has information to contact Mr. Norris’ office at the telephone number listed below so that our investigators may follow up.”
Michael Norris: (310) 376-0922.
No further comment will be issued at this time.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.