Man injured when steeple fell thanks rescuers

Emergency personnel tend to a man whose vehicle was crushed after the steeple on top of First United Methodist Church fell on his car at the intersection of Common and Texas streets during stormy weather in Shreveport, La., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Greg Pearson, The Times) ((AP Photo/Greg Pearson, Sherveporttimes.com))

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A man who was injured last week when a huge church steeple was toppled by a tornado says he owes his life to Shreveport police and the city's fire and rescue squads.

Michael Williams spoke to reporters from his hospital bed Tuesday. The landmark steeple fell on the car he was in last Thursday and he had to be pulled from the wreckage. The 57-year-old graphic artist has had surgery for a broken and dislocated wrist since he was rescued. He also had a finger partially amputated and he is in a body cast.

A trauma surgeon at LSU hospital says Williams' most pressing injury is a broken vertebra but that is expected to heal without surgery, The Times of Shreveport reported.

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