It was not immediately known whether Reid was injured in the crash. Reid doing fine after car accident

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) suffered “rib and hip contusions” after his motorcade was involved in a multi-car accident in Las Vegas, but has been cleared for release from a local hospital, according to a statement from his office.

Reid, 72, walked in on his own power to the University Medical Center in Las Vegas. Reid was brought to the hospital as a “precaution,” according to his aides.


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“Senator Reid and his security detail were involved in a traffic accident today on Interstate 15 in Las Vegas. Senator Reid was taken to University Medical Center Hospital by his security detail as a precaution, and walked in on his own,” said the statement.

“Senator Reid was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident. He experienced rib and hip contusions and has been cleared for release by the doctors. Mrs. Reid was not in the car at the time of the accident. Some of Senator Reid’s detail and a staffer had minor injuries in the accident and were evaluated at UMC.”

The accident occurred just after 1 p.m. local time and involved six vehicles — two belonging to Las Vegas police, two civilian vehicles and two Capitol Police vehicles, according to the Associated Press.

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Sgt. Kevin Honea of the Nevada Department of Public Safety said it was too early to determine whether charges will be filed in the crash. Honea said investigators were conducting a thorough investigation of the accident site.

Reid was en route to a meeting with El Tiempo, the Spanish-language paper in Las Vegas, when the accident occurred. His wife, Landra, was at middle school rally featuring first lady Michelle Obama and left when she was notified of the crash.

Nevada is a key battleground state in the White House fight between President Barack Obama and GOP challenger Mitt Romney. Reid, the godfather of Nevada politics, has led a drive to boost Democratic registration in the Silver State and provide a much-needed win for Obama. Obama won Nevada in the 2008 presidential race.

Steve Friess contributed to this report.