King was in surgery for several hours Sunday
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June 21, 1999
Web posted at: 12:11 p.m. EDT (1611 GMT)

In this story: Driver will not be charged Master of horror fiction RELATED STORIES, SITES

LEWISTON, Maine (CNN) -- Stephen King was conscious, alert and even cracking jokes following an operation to treat his shattered leg and collapsed lung sustained after being struck by a van while out walking.

The best-selling horror author remained in serious but stable condition Monday at Central Maine Medical Center, hospital officials said. King faced additional surgery Monday on his leg and hip, with more surgery tentatively scheduled for later in the week.

"He's been alert and he's in pretty good spirits," Chuck Gill, the hospital's vice president, said earlier.

Hospital spokesman Laird Covey said King had been talking with his wife, Tabitha, adding, "I know that he has been cracking some jokes to the staff about his condition."

Officials said King was thrown 14 feet when he was hit Saturday by a van in rural Lovell, where he owns a summer home. Lovell is about 115 miles southwest of Bangor.

Driver will not be charged

The accident occurred Saturday afternoon, as King was walking south on the shoulder of a road in North Lovell. He was hit from behind when motorist Brian Smith, 41, apparently lost control of his Dodge Caravan because his dog distracted him, Oxford County Sheriff's deputy Matt Baker said.

Witnesses told police Smith did not appear to be speeding, Baker said. He said charges will not be filed against the driver.

Baker, who was at the scene of the accident, said King was lying in a depression about 14 feet off the road and appeared to have been thrown by the collision. The van's windshield was broken and the right front corner of the car was crunched in from the impact, he said.

"He was hurting, but he was able to communicate," Baker said. "He was talking to me. He gave me phone numbers of where to call his family." But he said the writer was in "a lot of pain."

Baker said he could tell King's leg was broken and he was bleeding from a laceration on his head. King was taken to Northern Cumberland Hospital, then flown by helicopter to Central Maine Hospital.

The hospital has been deluged with calls wishing King well.

"We heard from the Times of London," Gill said. "We've had people wanting to know where to send flowers and cards. We've had calls from all over the world from both his fans and the media."

A witness at the scene of King's accident talks to sheriff's deputies

Master of horror fiction

King's prolific work -- horror novels, short stories and novellas -- has earned him the title "Master of Horror." A number of his novels have been turned into major films, including "Carrie," "The Shining," "Misery" and "Dolores Claiborne."

Three novellas from the book "Different Seasons" were also major films -- "Apt Pupil," "The Body" -- titled "Stand by Me" on the screen -- and "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," filmed as "The Shawshank Redemption."

King's books have been translated into 33 languages and published in more than 35 countries. There are more than 300 million copies of his novels in publication.

King has also written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.