State Senator Leroy Greene Hurt in Crash

State Sen. Leroy Greene (D-Carmichael), the chairman of the Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, suffered minor injuries early Friday after he apparently fell asleep at the wheel and his car rolled over twice on Interstate 80.

A passenger in the car, Prem Hunji, 30, a Sacramento attorney and lobbyist, also suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized briefly after the 1:05 a.m. accident.

Greene, 67, was treated for multiple scratches and bruises at Sutter Davis Hospital and was released Friday afternoon, said Vonnie Madigan, a spokeswoman for the hospital.

Greene, a 23-year veteran of the Legislature, was returning from a dinner in San Francisco with members of the Senate Democratic Caucus when the accident occurred.

“He is feeling as well as can be expected,” said Alex Ives, an employee of Greene’s office. “He wants to come in to work on Monday.”

The Highway Patrol said Greene was thrown through the windshield. Lt. Barrie Lightfoot said Greene was eastbound in the center lane of the freeway when his car swerved into the center divider and overturned.

Greene was first elected to the state Assembly in 1962 and moved to the Senate in 1982.