Veteran CBS "60 Minutes" correspondent Bob Simon, for more than four decades one of America's most respected journalists, was killed in a crash Wednesday night after his limo driver lost control of the vehicle on the West Side Highway.
Police investigate the scene of CBS reporter Bob Simon's fatal crash.Photo: Christopher Sadowski
The Lincoln Town Car in which Simon, 73, was riding collided with a Mercedes-Benz, then veered across the roadway and plowed into a pedestrian expansion near West 30th Street at about 7 p.m., according to law-enforcement sources.
The driver of the Mercedes said the black car was veering erratically before the crash.
"He swerved into me," said the 23-year-old Mercedes driver.
"He hit me and he looked like he lost control of the car."
Simon was taken to Roosevelt Hospital in Midtown, where he died.
The Town Car was so badly mangled, rescuers had to pry open the roof to extract him from the rear of the car.
Simon, a Bronx native, was found unresponsive with head and stomach injuries, cops said.
The 44-year-old Lincoln driver was treated by first responders for a possible heart attack, according to police sources.
It was not clear if he actually suffered a heart attack, nor was it immediately clear if he was stricken before or after the crash.
Cops said Simon's driver also suffered two broken legs and a broken arm. He, too, was taken to Roosevelt, where he was listed in stable condition.
Simon, who lives in the Upper West Side, was traveling downtown to attend a seminar, source said.
Simon, a former war correspondent, joined "60 Minutes" in 1996.
CBS News President David Rhodes released a statement mourning the loss of his friend.
"Bob Simon was a giant of broadcast journalism, and a dear friend to everyone in the CBS News family," Rhodes said. "We are all shocked by this tragic, sudden loss.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Bob's extended family, and especially with our colleague Tanya Simon."
Tanya, Simon's daughter, is a producer for "60 Minutes."
Simon, who won 25 Emmy awards, was working with Tanya on a segment about Ebola. It was was scheduled to air this Sunday.
Another of Simon's colleagues, "CBS Evening News" anchor Scott Pelley, delivered an emotional special report Wednesday night.
"We have some sad news from within our CBS News family," Pelley said while appearing to fight back tears. "Our '60 Minutes' colleague Bob Simon was killed this evening."
Simon, who joined the network in 1967, launched his career as a foreign correspondent while covering the Vietnam War from the London and Saigon bureaus.
He was aboard one of the last helicopters out of Saigon in 1975, according to CBS.
Simon also covered the Gulf War in 1991, when he and several members of a CBS News crew were captured by Iraqi forces and held hostage.
They spent 40 days in an Iraqi prison, where they were interrogated and beaten with canes.
Some of Simon's notable recent reports included an interview with Iraqi insurgency leader Muqtada al-Sadr and coverage of the Sudan, where thousands of people were displaced after the second civil war.
In addition to his Tanya, Simon is survived by his wife, Francoise, and grandson, Jack.
Additional reporting by Michael Starr and Matt McNulty
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