New Jersey Governor To Resume Governorship Again Monday

PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) _ Richard J. Codey's second stint as acting governor of New Jersey is coming to an end: Jon S. Corzine is ready to resume his first term. <br/><br/>Corzine was to return to his

Monday, May 7th 2007, 6:54 am

By: News On 6

PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) _ Richard J. Codey's second stint as acting governor of New Jersey is coming to an end: Jon S. Corzine is ready to resume his first term.

Corzine was to return to his official duties Monday morning after sustaining serious injuries in an auto accident April 12 that prompted Cody, the Senate president, to fill-in.

``I think we're ready to roll,'' Corzine said.

Corzine said the decision to get back to work was made after he spoke Friday with doctors and lawyers, who all agreed he could resume working as governor.

Corzine broke his leg, 11 ribs, his collarbone and sternum during the crash along the Garden State Parkway. He underwent three surgeries on his leg and needed to use a ventilator to breathe for more than a week.

While Corzine recovered, Codey assumed the role of acting governor, just as he had after the resignation of James E. McGreevey in the wake of a gay extramarital affair.

At Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, Corzine will resume his duties and also undergo physical therapy as part of his recuperation.

Exercise equipment has been installed in the mansion's second-floor living area, and the outdoor pool will be heated to help with healing. A portable chair lift also was brought in to help him navigate steps, but Corzine is now walking up and down stairs with crutches.

At the time of the crash, Corzine's state trooper-driven SUV was traveling at 91 mph in a 65 mph zone just north of Atlantic City. He was headed to a meeting at Drumthwacket with radio show host Don Imus and members of the Rutgers women's basketball team to discuss racially and sexually insensitive comments Imus had made on his program.

The crash happened when the SUV was clipped by a pickup truck and slammed into a guard rail. The pickup had swerved to avoid another vehicle that was trying to get out of the way of the governor's vehicle.

Corzine wasn't wearing his seat belt, as required by state law, but he voluntarily paid a $46 fine last week and has apologized to the state. He has vowed to always wear a seat belt from now on, saying his decision not to wear one in the past was ``thoughtless.''

The governor also said he was not paying attention to his driver's speed, but praised him and another state trooper for shielding him from a fire that broke out in the SUV. The flames, Corzine said, were quickly extinguished.

During an interview Saturday, Corzine said he does not remember much about the accident, other than recalling that he was working on papers when the crash occurred, then found himself laying in its trunk area in severe pain.

Corzine said he feared that he might die, recalling that he was in horrible pain on the medical helicopter that took him from the crash scene in Galloway to the hospital in Camden, especially when he began to suffer chest pains.

Corzine said he would not be able to do ceremonial events while he recovers at the mansion, so he will focus on policy initiatives. However, he stressed that he will have to balance work with recovering from his injuries.