Surfer who hit wall in critical condition

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The kite surfer who slammed into a building because of Tropical Storm Fay remains in critical condition at a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., hospital.

Kevin Kearney had just come ashore when a sudden gust of wind caught his parachute-like kite and dragged him more than 100 feet across the road and into the wall of a beachside restaurant, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Wednesday.

Kearney's accident Monday was captured on video and appeared on a number of Web sites as well as the evening news.

Lt. Gio Serrano of Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue says Kearney and several other kite surfers were hundreds of yards offshore Monday taking advantage of the winds spawned by Fay when conditions suddenly worsened.

Kearney was preparing to take off his equipment when the wind suddenly picked up.

"It was just a freak accident," Serrano told the newspaper.