Tracy Morgan in critical condition, Truck Driver Charged With Death

Thirty-five year old truck driver Kevin Roper of Jonesboro, Georgia has been charged by Middlesex Country prosecutors with death by auto for setting off the chain reaction crash that has put 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live alum Tracy Morgan in critical condition, and that has killed James McNair, 62, Morgan’s comedic mentor.  Roper also faces four counts of assault by auto.  Also in the overturned Mercedes limo bus and in critical condition were Morgan’s assistant Jeffrey Millea, 36, and comedian Ardie Fuqua, Jr.  Comic Harris Stanton, also in the bus, was treated and released while two others in the limo were unhurt.

PREVIOUS 8:35 AM: Tracy Morgan‘s spokesperson just released the following statement, confirming the actor is in critical condition after a car crash. Morgan has a 10-episode straight-to-series comedy for FXX, from the It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia creators Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton & Charlie Day and Sunny writer Luvh Rakhe. The series was slated to begin production in New York in August.

Tracy remains in critical condition at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital. He sustained these injuries in an accident that occurred early this morning as one of several passengers in a chauffeured SUV returning from a tour date in Delaware. His family is now with him and he is receiving excellent care. We don’t anticipate much of a change in his condition today but will provide a further update once more information becomes available.

PREVIOUS 3:45 AM: Sad news. CNN and other outlets are reporting this morning that former Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock standout Tracy Morgan is in critical condition after a car wreck in New Jersey early Saturday. Quoting authorities, CNN reports that Morgan was riding in a limo bus which was involved in a crash that included two tractor-trailers and an SUV, where one was killed and four hospitalized. We will update the situation when we know more.

UPDATE: Sgt. Gregory Williams of the New Jersey State Police told CNN and other media outlets Morgan’s limo bus overturned at the New Jersey Turnpike in Robbinsville, and that the limo is the only vehicle that overturned, adding, “Looks like one of the tractor-trailers may have rear-ended that limo bus, but that’s preliminary at this time.” The local NBC station reports state police say a preliminary investigation has found that a tractor trailer came up upon slow moving traffic and slammed into the limo and other vehicles, that all of those injured, and the one fatality, were people in the limo. The NBC station tweeted this, among other photos: