Tony-winning entertainer Ben Vereen crashed his car into a tree in Los Angeles hours before he was run down by a truck and critically injured while walking on a highway in the middle of the night, authorities said.

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Vereen, 45, was in critical condition Tuesday with head and internal injuries and a broken leg. He was conscious and talking after four hours of surgery, said Mike Byrne, UCLA Medical Center spokesman.The actor, singer and dancer, best known for his portrayal of Chicken George in the 1977 miniseries "Roots," was hit by a small truck on the Pacific Coast Highway near his Malibu home about 2:45 a.m.

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