Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman was listed in "serious" condition at a Memphis hospital Monday following a late-night car crash in rural Mississippi.
The accident occurred around 11:30 p.m. Sunday near the small town of Ruleville, MyFOXMemphis.com reported. Freeman, 71, was airlifted from the scene to Regional Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn.
According to Freeman's publicist, Donna Lee, the actor suffered a broken shoulder and arm and appears to be in a bit of pain.
Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Ben Williams confirmed Freeman was in a wreck shortly before midnight Sunday, but said he was still gathering information and had few details Monday.
Williams said Freeman was driving a 1997 Nissan Maxima that belonged to Demaris Meyer, who was sitting in the passenger's seat, when the car left Mississippi Highway 32 in Tallahatchie County and flipped several times.
Meyer, 48, is a very close friend of Freeman's wife Myrna and is often seen at their house for get-togethers, according to TMZ. She is from Memphis, Tennessee where she works as an executive assistant at Fed-Ex. She is also an avid gardener.
Meyer was treated for her injuries and has been released, TMZ reports.
Clay McFerrin, editor of Sun Sentinel in Charleston, said he arrived at the accident scene after it happened about 4 miles west of Charleston, not far from where Freeman owns a home with his wife.
McFerrin said it appeared that Freeman's car was airborne went it left the highway and landed in a ditch.
"They had to use the jaws of life to extract him from the vehicle," McFerrin said. "He was lucid, conscious. He was talking, joking with some of the rescue workers at one point."
McFerrin said bystanders converged on the scene trying to get a glimpse of the actor.
When one person tried to snap a photo with a cell phone camera, Freeman joked, "no freebies, no freebies," McFerrin said.
Freeman won an Oscar for his role in "Million Dollar Baby." His screen credits also include "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Driving Miss Daisy."
Bill Luckett, Freeman's friend and business partner, told MyFOXMemphis.com that the actor was sitting up and talking.
Officials at Regional Medical Center at Memphis — known as "The Med" — confirm Freeman was brought there last night and is a patient. Hospital Spokeswoman Kathy Stringer said Freeman is in serious condition, but did not offer further comment.
Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the accident.
Freeman was born in Mississippi and still maintains a home in the state, in addition to opening a blues club there.
Click here to read the full report from MyFOXMemphis.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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