Football
Associated Press 16y

Indians pitcher remains in stable but critical condition after accident in Dominican

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Injuries sustained by
Cleveland Indians reliever Juan Lara in a weekend car accident make
it too dangerous to move him to the United States for treatment, a
team spokesman said Wednesday.

The 26-year-old left-hander, who remains hospitalized in
critical condition, suffered a fractured spine, severe brain
trauma, two broken ribs and a punctured lung in the crash Saturday
night.

"For now he can't be moved because of his condition, but we're
taking all the necessary measures so he recovers," said Winston
Llenas, the team's representative in the Caribbean nation.

Llenas said doctors were focusing on treating a blood clot in
Lara's head.

A spokeswoman for the Plaza de la Salud hospital in Santo
Domingo, said Lara's condition is stable and has not changed.

Lara, a Dominican native who pitched in one game for Cleveland
last season, was returning from a winter league game Saturday night
in San Pedro de Macoris when the sports utility vehicle he was
driving was hit by a motorcycle. The accident killed both the rider
and a passenger on the motorcycle.

Lara was stopped at an intersection when he was struck on the
driver's side and was pinned inside the vehicle.

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