Senator Garlan Gudger of Alabama injured in jet ski accident and taken to hospital by helicopter

CULLMAN, Alabama — Alabama State Senator Garlan Gudger was flown by helicopter to a Birmingham hospital Thursday after being injured in a jet ski accident on Smith Lake during the Fourth of July holiday.

The Cullman Republican is in intensive care at UAB Hospital after undergoing surgery to treat internal bleeding and other injuries, according to a statement from the Alabama Senate. The statement said doctors believe his prognosis is good.

A 2024 Sea-Doo GTI jet ski driven by Gudger was struck from behind by a 2019 Sea-Doo GTI jet ski driven by his 21-year-old son, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. Both men were thrown into the water. Bystanders in the area helped the men out of the water and brought them to a nearby dock, law enforcement said. The younger Gudger was treated at the scene.

Gudger’s wife, Heather Gudger, thanked first responders and doctors and nurses in a statement who “prevented a difficult situation from becoming even worse.”

“Anyone who knows Garlan knows he is a strong, tough and energetic man who will recover from these injuries and continue to serve the citizens of his district while promoting the conservative Alabama values ​​that so many of us hold dear,” she said.

Gudger, a former Cullman City Council member, was elected to the Alabama Senate in 2018 and is currently serving his second term.