Former legislator leaves hospital

WACO — Former U.S. Rep. Allen West of Florida was released from a Texas hospital Monday after suffering a concussion, several fractured bones and cuts in a motorcycle crash, according to a post on his Facebook page.

West, who is running for chair of the Republican Party of Texas, was driving back from a rally in Austin focused on reopening the state amid the coronavirus pandemic when the accident occurred Saturday.

Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Ryan Howard said in an email that troopers responded to a crash on Interstate 35 in West at about 5 p.m. Saturday. He said an unidentified vehicle had unsafely changed lanes in front of two motorcyclists. He said one of the motorcyclists tried to brake, and the rear motorcyclist crashed into the front motorcyclist.

He said both motorcyclists were taken to a hospital in Waco to be treated for injuries that weren’t life-threatening.

Allen’s campaign manager, Lisa Hendrickson, said West was the motorcyclist in front in the DPS description of the accident.

West moved from Florida to Texas after leaving Congress in 2013. He served one term and once called for then-President Barack Obama’s impeachment.