Staff Writer
Bob Simon, CBS “60 Minutes” correspondent, has died in a tragic car accident. Simon was riding in a Lincoln Town Car when his driver lost control and the car collided with a Mercedes-Benz and careened off the road. Simon was then taken to Roosevelt Memorial Hospital where he later died.
Authorities
say that the car was so badly mangled that the roof of the car had to be pried
open before Simon could be extracted from the back.
Simon’s
driver was also taken to the hospital for a suspected heart attack and injuries
to his legs and arms. A blood test administered on arrival tested negative for
alcohol or other intoxicating substances. The driver had two moving violations
and nine cleared suspensions on his license.
Simon’s
career at CBS spanned 47 years, and he had been with “60 Minutes” since 1996.
He was the recipient of over 40 awards, including 25 Emmys and multiple Peabody
Awards. He was well respected in his field for his objective viewpoint and
strong adherence to ethics guidelines. Simon has reported from the majority of
the overseas conflicts from the last half-decade, and was once captured and
tortured by Iraqi insurgents along with three of his colleagues.
Simon
is survived by his wife, Françoise, their daughter Tanya, and his grandson,
Jack.
