Celebrity Illness: Clooney Cracks Rib

George Clooney took a break from his Lake Como digs to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Weehawken, NJ? Unfortunately, the scenic motor bike ride was marred by a slight amsh-up in which the actor fractured a rib and his girlfriend broke her foot when the two were knocked off his motorcycle the actor’s spokesman said. Weehawken is probably most famous for its 15-second spot in the Sopranos intro as Tony exits the Lincoln Tunnel .

Clooney, 46, and his companion, Sarah Larson, were treated for their injuries at the Palisades Medical Center, across the Hudson River from Manhattan, and were released, spokesman Stan Rosenfield said.

“He was treated for a hairline fracture of a rib and road rash,” he said. Larson, who was a passenger on the motorcycle driven by Clooney, suffered a broken foot. Both were wearing helmets.

David Sciumbata, 32, witnessed the accident, which took place outside his home. “I thought he looked like George Clooney and the girl was very pretty, so it figured. She seemed really hurt and had a cut on her face.

“He was saying, ‘It’ll be all right. Don’t move.’ He seems to really care about her.”

Sciumbata said they rode a rented light-blue Harley-Davidson that his neighbor, musician Jerry Zaslavsky, stored for Clooney after the accident.

Rosenfield told Reuters the accident occurred when a motorist signaled a left-hand turn, but turned right and struck Clooney’s motorcycle. The publicist said he did not know whether the driver of the car was cited for the accident.

Clooney was enjoying his day off from production on his latest film, the Coen brothers’ “Burn After Reading,” co-starring Brad Pitt, John Malkovich and Frances McDormand.

2007-09-24