US player Davies’ condition serious after accident

By Joseph White

ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. national team forward Charlie Davies was in serious condition Tuesday evening following a one-vehicle accident in which another person was killed.

Davies underwent several hours of surgery at Washington Hospital Center Medstar. Hospital spokeswoman So Young Pak said Davies’ condition was serious but offered no further details.

U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman Neil Buethe earlier said that Davies’ injuries were not life-threatening. The federation was expected to release a statement later in the evening.

“Obviously, as a team we were saddened to learn this news,” coach Bob Bradley said after learning of the accident. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlie and his family, as well as the other person in the car and the families of the others involved. ... We are relying on each other in a moment that has for sure hit us all hard.”

U.S. Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser said the accident took place at about 3:15 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Virginia. Schlosser identified the fatality as Ashley J. Roberta, 22, of Phoenix, Md.

There were three people in the vehicle, and Roberta and Davies were passengers, according to Schlosser and USSF officials. Schlosser didn’t identify the driver, who was also taken to Washington Hospital Center Medstar. The cause of the accident remained under investigation.

Buethe initially said that Davies’ injuries were “possibly” career-threatening but later clarified the remark.

“At this point, we just don’t know the extent of the injuries, so we can’t comment on how this affects Charlie’s future,” Buethe said while Davies was in surgery.

The U.S. team is in Washington area for Wednesday night’s World Cup qualifying game against Costa Rica.

The 23-year-old Davies has four goals in 17 international appearances. He started and played 78 minutes in the Americans’ 3-2 victory over Honduras on Saturday that clinched a berth in their sixth straight World Cup. He made his first U.S. appearance on June 2, 2007, as a substitute against China.

Born in Manchester, N.H., Davies played for Boston College before turning pro in 2006. He was a member of last year’s American Olympic team and currently plays for the French club Sochaux. Davies’ brother, sister and father arrived in Washington from California late Tuesday, Buethe said.

The players were subject to a team curfew Monday night, Buethe said, and Davies apparently was in violation. There was no mandatory team function until lunch on Tuesday, so officials were not aware of the accident until 11 a.m., just as Davies’ surgery was about to begin. Bradley informed the players of the news as they gathered for lunch.

The players were not made available for comment, but many in the U.S. soccer community expressed somber thoughts via Twitter.

“Just got some terrible news about my boy. :( :( :( I’m done tweeting for the day, too much stuff runnin through my head,” tweeted midfielder Maurice Edu, who has played for the U.S. team but is not on the roster for the game in Washington.

“OMG please pray for Charlie Davies and the people involved in the car accident in dc,” was the message from Freddy Adu, also a member of the national team’s player pool.

“Obviously, the players are saddened by the situation and, obviously, hope the surgery goes well for Charlie and that he has a quick recovery,” Buethe said.

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Associated Press Writer Sarah Karush in Washington and AP Sports Writer Rob Harris in London contributed to this report.