ASHINGTON - Texas Governor George W. Bush sustained minor injuries yesterday when he dived to avoid flying debris from a runaway truck while he was jogging along Austin's Town Lake trail.
The front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination sustained cuts and bruises on his leg and hip and was treated at the scene. The accident did not delay Bush's trip later yesterday to New Hampshire, where he is scheduled to continue his campaign today, beginning with a stop in Dixville Notch.
''It was close,'' said Bush spokeswoman Mindy Tucker, referring to the distance between the hurtling trailer and the governor. ''He turned around and saw the truck coming at him, and he dove. Apparently, it was out of control.''
Bush, after arriving at New Hampshire's Berlin Airport, told reporters he feels sore, but fine.
''If I needed to I could go out and run three miles,'' he said, adding that he does, however, sport ''a significant strawberry.''
Bush said he feels lucky to have avoided more serious injury and was ''very concerned'' about Sergeant Roscoe Hughey, a Texas Department of Public Safety officer who was assigned to Bush's security detail and was following him on a bicycle. Hughey was hit by debris from the truck. He was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Austin police spokeswoman Tracy Karol said.
Kevin Buchman, another Austin police spokesman, gave the following description of the accident:
Bush, who often jogs 4 to 5 miles a day, was jogging midday on a popular trail in Austin that borders Town Lake. He heard a truck approaching fast behind him on the adjacent Cesar Chavez Street. When Bush feared it might hit him, he jumped out of the way. The truck was a combination cab and trailer. The trailer portion of the truck, which was carrying construction debris, separated from the cab and turned on its side.
The debris came flying at Bush, but he apparently sustained his injuries when he dived out of the way, an aide said.
Contrary to reports that the truck ran Bush off the road, Buchman said the truck stayed on the road and Bush was on the trail. The debris scattered along the trail.
The truck is owned by Long Horn Disposal of Austin. The firm could not be reached for comment. The truck was carrying concrete and wood, police said.
After the accident, Bush used Hughey's cell phone to call his protective detail, which in turn called 911. Bush then remained at the scene until police arrived.
An investigation of the incident is underway.
