Cam Newton suffers two fractures in lower back after crash near Panthers stadium

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton suffered two fractures in his lower back following a car accident in near the team's stadium in Charlotte Tuesday afternoon.

The crash happened around 12:30 p.m. on the Church Street bridge over Interstate 277, according to the Charlotte Observer. That is one block from the Panthers' stadium.

Photo and video posted to Twitter show Newton being loaded onto a stretcher and into an ambulance.

Newton did not suffer life threatening injuries in the accident and was conscious when he was transported to the hospital, a source told ESPN's Ed Werder. Photos from the Charlotte Observer showed Newton smiling as he was attended to by an officer on the ground.

The driver of the other car was also transported to the hospital, according to WSOC.

The Carolina Panthers tweeted Tuesday afternoon that Newton was in fair condition but will remain hospitalized overnight. They did not provide additional details on his injuries.

As word of the accident spread online, NFL players started sending good wishes on social media.

UPDATE: Cam Newton has two fractures in his lower back.

Newton has 2,800 yards passing this season with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also has rushed for 425 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Panthers to a 4-8-1 record. He threw three touchdown passes in Carolina's 41-10 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, his best game in nearly a month-and-a-half.

Newton was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft and was inserted in as the franchise's starter right away. He has only missed one game this season, the opener at Tampa Bay, due to a Newton has one year left on his rookie contract after the Panthers picked up a $15 million option for 2015.

The Associated Press and ESPN contributed to this report.