Cult filmmaker John Waters is on the mend after a car accident in Maryland led to a brief hospitalization this week.
“Since it hurts when I laugh I will have no witty answer about being in a car accident that no one has said was my fault,” Waters, 78, wrote in a statement on Tuesday. “Hope you understand. “I’m released from the hospital and everything is OK.”
The accident occurred on Monday in Timonium, just north of Waters’ native Baltimore, when a 2012 Chevrolet cargo van whose driver ran a red light rammed into the front driver’s side corner of Waters’ 2015 Buick LaCrosse, according to a report by the Baltimore Sun .
Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Waters, who was kept in the hospital overnight, was examined for chest pain. The 25-year-old driver of the van, who admitted to “entering the intersection on a red signal,” according to a police report, was unharmed.
Waters, also known as the Pope of Trash, a title given to him by William Burroughs, is famous for cult classics like “Pink Flamingos” and “Cry-Baby.” He is a part-time resident of San Francisco and a recognized gay icon and author.
After rumors circulated on social media that he had suffered a critical head injury, Waters issued a statement clarifying his condition. He was in Baltimore the previous week for the Maryland Film Festival.
In recognition of his contributions to the film industry, Waters was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last year.
