Nuggets guard J.R. Smith was released from Jersey Shore University Hospital on Monday with ailments ranging from a left shoulder injury to numerous cuts and bruises.
But Smith’s biggest concern is for his friend of six years, Andre Hall, who remained hospitalized in critical condition in a coma with severe head trauma at the hospital. Smith and Hall were thrown from a sport utility vehicle that was hit by another car when Smith ran a stop sign on Saturday evening in Millstone Township, N.J.
“They bonded, they were the best of friends,” Smith’s father, Earl, said Monday. “He’s just praying for his friend. It’s the toughest part.”
According to Earl, his son walked from his room to see his friend “every couple of hours” this weekend.
As for Smith, he is expected to be able to return to full activity in a week, his father said. Smith, who enters the final year of his contract next season, is scheduled to be back in Denver next week to be examined by team doctors. Smith’s charity golf tournament, set for June 29 in New Jersey “is still on,” said his father.
“He’s doing fine,” Earl Smith said. “He’s doing great.”
Smith has been issued two summons, said New Jersey State Police spokesman Sgt. Stephen Jones. One was for failure to stop at a stop sign, and the other was for improper passing.
“Any additional charges will be dependent on how the rest of the investigation goes, and that’s still on-going at this time,” Jones said.
According to the police report, Smith drove his sport utility vehicle around another vehicle stopped at a stop sign. In the intersection, his SUV was hit by an oncoming car, which had the right of way, throwing Smith and Bell out of the SUV.
The driver of the other car, Lynn Sinatra, was treated and released with minor injuries as was Carroll Marshall, who was in the car with Smith and Bell, but was the only one of the three wearing a seat belt. Carroll escaped the crash with back pain.
Earl Smith said the incident is weighing heavily on his son.
“It’s tough, but you have to deal with it,” Earl Smith said.
Staff writer Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
