CIRCUS TRAINER INJURED WHEN ELEPHANT PANICS

A circus trainer was critically injured Monday night when an elephant giving rides to children tossed him down and stepped on him.

Sue - a 6,000-pound Asian elephant - was giving rides to two children during an intermission of the Jordan Circus at the Utah State Fairpark when her trainer stumbled and bumped her. The elephant became disoriented, picked up trainer Rex Williams and tossed him down, breaking his arm, Salt Lake police reported.The elephant then stepped on Williams, breaking four ribs and causing other internal damage.

Another trainer, Mary Braa, tried to control the 28-year-old elephant, but Sue kicked her and broke her finger. Circus workers said the elephant was trying to protect Williams after the injury occurred.

"She (the elephant) looked around and it was like, `Get away. I'm going to watch over him,' " said Pat Jordan, co-owner of the Jordan Circus in Las Vegas.

A third trainer got control of Sue and removed the children, ages 2 and 3. The children were not hurt, nor was the elephant.

Williams and Braa, both from Myakka, Fla., were taken to LDS Hospital. Williams remained hospitalized Tuesday in critical but stable condition in the shock trauma unit. Because of his broken ribs, Williams has been unable to breathe on his own.

The circus was in town to raise funds for the Utah Law Enforcement Coalition.

Jordan said Williams and the elephant are very close and have worked together for years. "They love each other. I'm sure she got spooked when he tripped in front of her," she said.