Thrashers' star Heatley, teammate hurt in crash

DULUTH, Ga. -- Atlanta Thrashers star Dany Heatley was charged Tuesday with reckless driving after his sportscar swerved off a road and careened into a wall at about 80 mph, breaking his jaw and critically injuring a teammate.

Dan Snyder, a backup center, underwent a two-hour surgery for a skull fracture. Heatley, the MVP of the 2003 All-Star game, was hospitalized in stable condition.

At a news conference at Grady Memorial Hospital, the neurosurgeon who operated on Snyder said he was still unconscious but that there wasn't any bleeding into the brain.

"It'll be a few days before we know we can even tell a prognosis," Dr. Sanjay Gupta said. "The underlying brain actually looked pretty good."

Heatley also has a minor concussion, a contusion on his lung and a bruised kidney, according to the team's physician, Dr. Scott Gillogly. None of the injuries appeared to be career threatening, Gillogly said.

Heatley lost control of his 2002 Ferrari 360 Modena on a curve on a two-lane road Monday night in Atlanta, police said. The vehicle crossed into the other lane, left the road and struck a wrought iron and brick wall in front of an apartment complex. The car was ripped in half and the players were thrown onto the road.

Heatley also was charged with serious injury by vehicle -- a felony -- and three misdemeanors, police spokesman Sgt. Kevin Iosty said.

"Our preliminary reports indicated speed may have been a factor," he said.

Officers estimated the car was traveling about 80 mph. Heatley took a blood-alcohol test, but results will not be available for weeks, police said.

Heatley, 22, and Snyder, 25, had been at an event for season ticket holders at Philips Arena.

The Thrashers canceled practice Tuesday and were considering canceling Wednesday night's exhibition against Florida. Their season opens a week from Thursday.

"Nobody's really thinking about hockey," team captain Shawn McEachern said. "We're thinking about the guys."

Heatley, the NHL rookie of the year in 2001-02, led Atlanta in scoring last season with a team-record 41 goals and 48 assists, and he is the Thrashers' career scoring leader with 155 points.

Snyder, a center, scored 10 goals and added four assists in 36 games for Atlanta last season.