Tracy Morgan recovering at home, sues Wal-Mart month after fatal crash - Action News
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Entertainment

Tracy Morgan recovering at home, sues Wal-Mart month after fatal crash

Tracy Morgan has been released from a rehabilitation facility and has sued Wal-Mart as he heals from serious injuries he suffered in a car crash that left a fellow comedian dead.

Comedian James McNair, 62, died in the June 7 crash

Comedian Tracy Morgan, pictured in 2010, filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming Wal-Mart was negligent when a driver of one of its trucks was involved in a fatal crash with Morgan's limousine van. (Richard Clement/Reuters)

Tracy Morgan has sued Wal-Mart over last month's highway crash that seriously injured him and killed a fellow comedian.

The former 30 RockandSaturday Night Livestar was released Saturday from a rehabilitation facility as he heals from crash injuries, two days after the lawsuit was filedin U.S. District Court in New Jersey.

Morgan will continue his recovery at home with an "aggressive outpatient program," spokesman Lewis Kay said.

The lawsuitclaims Wal-Mart was negligent when a driver of one of its trucks rammed into Morgan's limousine van. The complaint claims the retail giant should have known the driver had been awake for over 24 hours, and that his commute of 1,125 kilometresfrom his home in Georgia to work in Delaware was "unreasonable." It also alleges the driver fell asleep at the wheel.

"As a result of Wal-Mart's gross, reckless, wilful, wanton, and intentional conduct, it should be appropriately punished with the imposition of punitive damages," according to the complaint.

Truck driver Kevin Roper, pictured at his first court appearance in June, pleaded not guilty. ( John O'Boyle/The Star-Ledger/The Associated Press)
The June 7 wreck killed 62-year-old comedian James McNair, who went by the name Jimmy Mack. Comedian Ardley Fuqua and Jeffrey and Krista Millea, who were passengers in the limo, are also named as plaintiffs.

Morgansuffered a broken leg and broken ribs in the crash. Fuqua is recovering from crash-related injuries.

Truck driver Kevin Roper, 35, has pleaded not guilty to death by auto and assault by auto charges. A criminal complaint also accuses him of not sleeping for more than 24 hours before the crash, a violation of New Jersey law.

Roper had been on the job about 13hours at the time of the crash, the report concluded. Federal rules permit truck drivers to work up to 14 hours a day, with a maximum of 11 hours behind the wheel.

Morgan's lawsuit seeks a jury trial and punitive and compensatory damages.

A message seeking comment from Wal-Mart was not immediately returned Saturday. An email seeking comment from Morgan's publicist was not immediately answered.