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Fmr. Hialeah Mayor In Critical Condition After Accident

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The former mayor of Hialeah, Julio Martinez, is in critical condition Wednesday after being involved in a serious accident while helping a friend change a tire on I-95.

According to El Nuevo Herald, Martinez was rushed to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Monday after a man lost control of his black Honda Accord. The car slammed into the friends Dodge Ram which in turn hit Martinez's red Mercedes. 

Click here to watch Gaby Fleischman's report. 

The impact threw Martinez several feet away onto the pavement. Martinez was between his car and that of his friend's at the time of the accident.

His wife Xiomara Martinez told the paper he underwent surgery on Monday and Tuesday. She said she is asking the community to pray for his recovery.

The person driving the Honda was identified as Joseph Domenic Leo of West Palm Beach.

Martinez's friend George Morffiz was also taken to the hospital but discharged the same day.

Martinez held the title of Hialeah mayor from 1990 to 1993.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner El Nuevo Herald contributed material for this report.)

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