Gov. Jon Corzine suffered a broken leg and broken ribs when his motorcade crashed Thursday en route to a meeting between radio personality Don Imus and the Rutgers women’s basketball team.

Corzine was in critical but stable condition at Cooper University Hospital in Camden. His injuries were not considered life-threatening.

The crash happened around 6 p.m. EDT on the Garden State Parkway. A red pickup truck on the right shoulder of the highway swerved then came back onto the highway, said State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes. Another pickup in the right lane swerved into the passenger side of the sport utility vehicle in which Corzine was riding.

The SUV was driven by Trooper Robert Rasinski. He also was injured, but his condition was not immediately available.

“It looks as if the trooper did a tremendous job doing what he could to maintain control of that vehicle,” Fuentes said.

Los Angeles

Fires claim homes in hills above L.A.

Fires erupted in the hills above Los Angeles on Thursday, damaging or destroying several homes as dangerous north winds fueled the flames. Farther inland, a blinding sandstorm triggered a deadly highway pileup.

Wind speeds of more than 50 mph propelled the flames in grass near expensive mountainside homes above the city of Beverly Hills.

About 200 firefighters, some using water-dropping helicopters, contained the blaze to 15 acres, or less than a square mile, in the Beverly Glen neighborhood.

The fire broke out after powerful winds toppled power lines, igniting brush behind a residence.

A morning pileup on Interstate 40 killed two people and injured several others near Barstow during zero-visibility conditions, authorities said.