Pro wrestler may have had seizure before wreck

Professional wrestler Marcus "Buff" Bagwell may have suffered a seizure just before he was seriously injured when he flipped his Jeep, according to a police report obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Bagwell remained in intensive care Wednesday with several broken bones in his neck, face and jaw two days after the Cherokee County wreck, Ron Gossett, president of Universal Championship Wrestling, told the AJC.

Bagwell, 42, was northbound on Buckhead Crossing around 1:35 p.m. Monday when he called his wife to tell her he was going to have a seizure, the Woodstock police report states.

He then turned left onto Running Deer Parkway, where his 2005 Jeep Wrangler hit the curb for several hundred feet, according to police.

Investigators believe Bagwell, who lives in Woodstock with his wife, then made a sharp left turn that caused his Jeep to spin across the raised median and roll over, police said.

Bagwell was transported by ambulance to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, Marietta, where he remains sedated due to the extent of his injuries, Gossett said Wednesday.

"Hopefully, he'll make a full recovery," Gossett said.

Bagwell opened his eyes briefly Wednesday and has moved his hands and feet, but the extent of his injuries is still not known, Gossett said. The wrestler may undergo surgery by the end of the week.

Bagwell, a Cobb County native, attended Sprayberry High School before his wrestling career began. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling from 1991 until 2001, when he was five-time World Tag Team champion.

Bagwell suffered a broken neck wrestling in 1998 but was later able to return to the ring in less than a year.

Universal Championship Wrestling, formed nine years ago, is patterned after the old WCW, Gossett said. The UCW recently signed a deal for television coverage on SportSouth, he said.

"He's one of the main guys on our show," Gossett said of Bagwell.

Only family members are currently allowed to visit Bagwell at the hospital, Gossett said. Fans, including other wrestlers, used Twitter to send get-well messages.