Bengals' Chris Henry Seriously Injured in Auto Accident

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was seriously hurt in an automobile accident Wednesday in the Charlotte area, TV station WLWT is reporting. The Bengals confirmed the news, releasing a short statement that Henry suffered "very serious" injuries.

The Charlotte Observer reports that Henry fell out the back of a pickup truck in an incident precipitated by a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, and that police found him in the road with life-threatening injuries.

According to the report, Henry jumped into the bed of his girlfriend's truck as she left a Charlotte-area residence, then "came out" the back of the vehicle at some point.

Update: Chris Henry Dies at 26

Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan told WLWT that Henry is listed in serious condition in a Charlotte-area hospital. Brennan said the team is ready to offer assistance to Henry's family as needed.

There is no word on the cause of the crash or the specific nature of Henry's injuries. The Bengals say he was in Charlotte visiting his girlfriend's family.

Henry, who was once a poster boy for the NFL's problems with off-field player misconduct, has had a relatively quiet 2009 both on and off the field. He had 12 catches for 236 yards as a Bengals backup this season before being placed on injured reserve with a broken forearm last month.