Spalding County Sheriff’s Office deputy William Harris, who was involved in a two-vehicle accident Thursday, is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit of the Atlanta Medical Center.

Harris suffered multiple fractures to his leg and severe tissue damage as a result of the accident, said Spalding County Board of Commissioners member Dave Phillips, who is a close friend of Harris.

Despite being in a great deal of pain and undergoing surgery on Monday, Harris was very upbeat when he talked to Phillips on Saturday, the commissioner said.

“He’s got a real positive outlook,” he said.

Phillips said the recovery process for Harris might take a while.

“He may very well be in a wheelchair for a couple of weeks, just to be sure everything is healing properly,” he said. “From what I understand, he should fully recover. Bill has a strong constitution. He heals rapidly.”

“It’s too early to talk about him coming back,” Spalding County Sheriff Dee Stewart said when asked about when he expects Harris on duty again.

Harris was injured in an accident Thursday at 9:32 p.m. at the intersection of West Taylor Street and 16th Street. The deputy, who was off-duty at the time, driving a red 2005 Triumph Rocket III motorcycle, was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle, according to Donald Bailey of the Griffin Police Department.

The vehicle, a white 2009 Ford F-250 pickup truck, belonged to Bill Johnson, who was later arrested for failure to yield the right of way while turning left and leaving the scene of an accident.