LeVar Burton In Car Crash (Not Badly Hurt) [UPDATE: Burton Tweets Accident Pic]

Last night Star Trek The Next Generation’s Geordi La Forge was involved in a five car accident in Los Angeles. According to reports the actor was treated at a local hospital and released and no tickets were issue for the accident. More details on that below, plus news on a premiere of Burton’s new film "Reach for Me".

  

Burton OK after accident
According to the report at KTLA:

Burton was driving his 2006 Mercedes on Beverly Boulevard in West Los Angeles Monday night when a 74-year-old woman in a 2006 Scion turned left in front of him, according to Los Angeles Police Detective Judy Acosta.

The cars collided, sending Burton’s Mercedes into a parked car, and then into two more parked cars, according to Acosta.

Both drivers complained of pain and were taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where they were treated and released. Neither suffered serious injury.

Both cars sustained major damage…No one was ticketed in the crash.

Additional reports at People and AP

UPDATE: Burton Tweets about accident w/ pic
This afternoon Burton updated his Twitter page with the following:

Woke up feeling like I was hit by a car. Oh wait, I was..Thanks for all of your thoughts, prayers & good wishes!

 He also tweeted this picture from the scene.


Burton’s Mercedes not looking too good
(photo: LeVar Burton)


Burton’s "Reach for Me" at LA Downtown Film Festival

In totally unrelated Burton news,  it was just announced that “Reach for Me” a new film directed by Burton, will be the ‘Centerpiece Gala film’ at the 2009 Downtown Film Festival. The film will be shown at a red carpet event on Friday, August 14th, 2009. Some Trek celebs are expected to attend, including Chase Masterson (who is on the board for the Festival) as well as Burton’s TNG co-stars Marina Sirtis and Michael Dorn. Seymour Cassel, The star of "Reach for Me" (and also guest starred in the TNG episode “The Child”), will be also presented with the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Also attending with by Cassel’s “Reach for Me” co-star Alfre Woodard, another Trek vet (“First Contact”).

“Reach for Me’” (2008, USA, 89 minutes) follows Alvin (Seymour Cassel), a bitter man confined to the Valley Meadow Hospice who unexpectedly discovers the joys of life and its many intricacies. Ready to pass away after a disappointing life, he is interrupted by the vivacious young man named Kevin (Johnny Whitworth), a new patient and roommate who loves to live life to the fullest. Kevin and his girlfriend Sarah (Lacey Chabert)do their best to make Alvin’s life meaningful in his last few days and even get him to fall in love for the first time with Valerie (Adrienne Barbeau). Setting all the wheels in motion for the intersecting relationships is head nurse Evelyn (Alfre Woodard). Here is a trailer for the film.
 

More info on the Downtown Film Festival at dffla.com.

More information on "Reach for Me" at the official site.

 

 

 

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All my best to Levar I’m glad he is ok!

LA is an insane place to drive. I’m grateful Mr. Burton is relatively unscathed. Must be those new Mercedes inertial dampeners.

Doesn’t Mercedes offer an emergency “Beam Out” feature as an option?

Eee-yow!!! I’m glad no one was seriously hurt. Best wishes from over here in the Midwest (not to be confused with the Middle East).

I am happy to know that LeVar is all right!

See, this is why Burton shouldn’t wear the VISOR at night… ruins the peripheral vision.

Seriously, I’m glad he’s okay.

Reach for me looks good! I want to see that. Glad Mr. Burton is OK. Having been in a crash myself i can vouch its no fun.

LOL ! ! ! ! ! ! I but during the car crash…. Levar probably was yelling… ”COOLANT LEAK !!!! COOLANT LEAK !!!!! “

Traveling at warp without the deflector shield turned on? Geordi, Geordi.

Starfleet has a strict policy of annual shuttlecraft recertification. Methinks California should do the same for ALL drivers, perhaps every four years, though.

Generally, when you get older, your reaction times, etc. slow down. The lady, turning left in front of LaForge, should have known better, obviously. Probably just a mistake in judgement, but a mistake nonetheless. I was always told that getting a driver license is a privilege, not a right. Perhaps California has different laws. I cannot believe she didn’t get ticketed. Unless Burton ran a stale yellow, and the other driver turned left before it turned red thinking he was slowing down but went through. In that case traffic cameras would have confirmed what happened, and in that case I’m surprised both didn’t get ticketed.

=A=

It’s good to hear he’s all right.

Barclay will fix that car right up…

I’m very happy the guys ok.

Glad that Geordi be OK. Really liked his work wit’ kids on PBS and all. Always seemed like a wunderbar type bloke.

It be amazin’ wit’ tha’ way you Yanks drive not more folks get hurt. I mean… yer’ all on tha’ wrong side o’ tha’ road! Blimey!

But… a 74 year olde woman struck Mr. Burton?… reverse it and it be 47! That damm-ed Trek-cursed number no less! Conspiracy!

Wait… maybe tha’ bad Starry Trek number be 5? Or just all odds…

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

I glad Levar Burton’s okay. Not only TNG, but the whole world needs more Burton! Look forward to checking out “Reach for Me”. Be well good sir.

This is why annual driving tests for folks over age 65 should be mandatory. As that character in “Benjamin Button” noted, we start life in diapers and end like in diapers… maybe we should start our driving years with frequent tests and restrictions and end our driving years the same way.

Lavar best wishes in your recovery, just be glad it was on a City public Road. Higher speeds could have been horrible and terrorizing. I know how bad car wreaks can be from my death in ER and revival. I know Mc Coy said 20th century medicine is like being a witch doctor, but it saved my life and only costing me $1.85 million in medical bills.

At least now you have the right to say your the victim of a car wreak, bet that will fill a line on your resume.

(If you’re reading this)

Glad you’re okay, Mr. Burton. The movie looks good!

LeVar Burton in car crash, not badly hurt – Who lets a blind man drive himself?

He wasn’t wearing his VISOR

The movie trailer sucked me in, BTW. It looks good.

His engineering crew should have his ride back in working order real soon.

Glad to hear he’s okay, he seems like a great guy.

Levar Burton, Starfleet needs you. Glad you made it through okay.

Glad he’s okay. Funny, I used to eat at that Swinger’s Restaurant in the pic when I loved in LA a year ago.

^^ Meant to write “LeVar.”

Glad he’s ok. Stupid old drivers, my friend almost got killed by one a few weeks ago to.

Good Lord, Geordi!

Glad to hear Levar is still with us!

my best to you levar!

Car wrecks suck. Be well, LeVar!

“Bridge, we’ve got a problem down here.”

Glad he is okay.

Minor damage!? Please his whole front end is wrecked. I would love to see a Trek Judge Judy, maybe have John Delancie sit with Judy in judges robes. I smell spin-off!

Be well LeVar, I am very happy you are ok.

Glad to hear that LeVar is doing OK; I about gasped when I saw that headline.

Driving tests for older drivers – such as the one who caused the accident – should probably be manditory.

Looks like the Benz is toast.

Glad LeVar is OK. He is such a great guy. I saw him on the George Strumbopolous show in Canada last month. Really great interview… search for it on youtube if you haven’t seen it.

Man…. I really hope they make more TNG films. I keep thinking they should just make a 3 part mini-series for HBO. Trek is big again, and a final closure on TNG would bring in big ratings. Who cares if its on TV… so long as its for a specialty channel, I think a TNG mini-series would be great. Give LeVar a TNG film to direct, and I would be happy! If anything, I think Frakes and LeVar should push for a mini-series.

#34 – I think given the opportunity the actors would do it… it’s not about the money any more. They’re all past their prime, they should get together for one last adventure…