YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -The pastor of a local Catholic church is said to be talking and in good spirits following surgery for injuries sustained in a traffic accident.

The Reverend Stephen Popovich is in Saint Elizabeth Hospital, where he has been since Thursday morning when his car slid into a pickup truck and a tree on ice covered Struthers road in Poland township.

Father Popovich is the pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in New Middletown.

Stay connected with wfmj.com and 21 News for the latest on this developing story.