Rep. Matsui Injured in Car Crash

Rep. Doris Matsui on Sept. 8, working with House and Senate conferees on the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) is recovering at home after suffering injuries in a car crash, The Sacramento Bee reports.

Matsui, 72, was on her way to Dulles International Airport to take a direct flight to Sacramento on Oct. 4 when her car was hit, according to a spokeswoman. She was wearing a seatbelt but took the brunt of the impact. The accident left her with internal bleeding and broken ribs, while her longtime driver and the driver of the other car were not seriously injured.

Matsui was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where she underwent surgery to stop the bleeding. She was sent to her D.C.-area home on Oct. 7 but remained very sore from the broken ribs and the surgery.

She had to miss some election-related events in Sacramento, including an Oct. 9 fundraising appearance with Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine.

“She’s on the mend. I’m not sure what the timing will be when she’s completely back on her feet … but she and I have been talking for the past two days quite a bit, so she’s engaged and emailing and all that kind of stuff,” Julie Eddy, Matsui’s chief of staff, told McClatchy DC on Oct. 10.

“Her voice sounds back to normal. I don’t think she is, I think she’s in a lot of pain still, but she’s doing much, much better,” Eddy said.

Matsui, who represents the 6th Congressional District, has been in office since 2005 and is expected to win re-election in November.