Little Richard Hurt in Hollywood Crash

Little Richard, the flamboyant singer who rocked “Tutti Frutti” onto the record charts in the ‘50s, was seriously injured early today when he crashed his sports car into a telephone pole in West Hollywood, sheriff’s deputies said.

The 52-year-old singer, whose real name is Richard Penniman, suffered a broken right leg, broken ribs, and head and facial injuries in the 12:05 a.m. accident, Deputy Lynda Edmonds said.

He was listed in serious but stable condition this morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said.

“He was conscious throughout the night and continues to improve,” Cedars-Sinai spokesman Ron Wise said this morning. “We may be upgrading his status later today.”

Witnesses told sheriff’s deputies that Penniman--best-known for “Good Golly Miss Molly” and “Tutti Frutti”--was driving his 1984 Nissan 300ZX, which appeared to be going 65 to 70 m.p.h., on Santa Monica Boulevard when he crashed into the telephone pole at Curson Avenue, Edmonds said.

He was alone in the vehicle and no one else was injured, she said. Penniman was trapped inside his car for 30 minutes while county firefighters used the “Jaws of Life,” a metal-cutting device, to pry him loose.

There are no indications that alcohol was involved, said Edmonds, who added that deputies hope to complete their investigation by Thursday.