Kevin Hart is recovering from back surgery after sustaining a major injury in a serious car accident in the early morning hours of Sept. 1. Though the operation went well, TMZ reports, the comedy star is still facing a long recovery.
TMZ reports that Kevin — who was riding in the front passenger seat of his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, which was being driven by a friend, Jared Black, when the crash occurred off Mulholland Highway near Malibu and Calabasas, California — will require what it describes as "extensive physical therapy."
Kevin is expected to be released from the hospital by the end of this week and then will soon begin intensive PT, reports TMZ, which has photos of the battered car. Shortly after surgery, Kevin's wife, Eniko, told TMZ the actor was awake and was "going to be just fine."
What's not yet known is how the driver — who was initially pinned inside the totaled vehicle — is doing. TMZ reported that Jared, who also had back injuries, was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center after managing to free himself despite initially being trapped inside.
A third person who was sitting in the backseat — Jared's fiancée, Rebecca Broxterman (TMZ reports she's Kevin's wife's trainer) — walked away from the crash with minor injuries despite initially being stuck inside the car.
TMZ has also obtained audio of a 911 call made after the incident. In it, a man who pulled over to help after seeing the damaged car can be heard telling dispatchers that Jared and Rebecca were both conscious and that "the top of the car is crushed." He also said it was a one-vehicle accident, "one car that went off [the road]." He also can be heard telling the couple, "Stay calm, help's coming!"
According to TMZ, Kevin's security removed him from the scene of the accident before paramedics arrived.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. TMZ reported that investigators have confirmed that alcohol wasn't a factor. But speed, it seems, might have been: A witness who heard the accident reported that the sound of tires screeching preceded a loud boom.