KNOXVILLE (WVLT) -- Family members of Knoxville City Council member Steve Hall have asked for the community's prayers.

On Friday, Hall suffered several serious injuries during a motorcycle crash in Anderson County, including eight broken ribs and a pair of crushed vertebrae. He's listed in fair condition.

By Saturday night his condition had stabilized after he was transferred from Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga. Initially he was going to be transported to nearby UT Medical Center, but the trauma center was not accepting transfers of patients with non-critical injuries at the time.

A day after his arrival, doctors placed him in a custom back-brace, which eased some of his pain and enabled the third district representative to sit up.

The hospital still considers surgery to repair the vertebrae an option, but if the back brace continues to work it will not be necessary.

Family members have been at Hall’s bedside since immediately after the crash. They said the city council member was riding his Harley Davidson down Highway 116 outside of Lake City when he hit a patch of loose gravel going around a curve.

"I saw the bike slide sideways,” said Ron Toomire, his son-in-law, “then it flung him over the side, and he slid 10 to 15 feet. It really looked like Superman flying belly down."

Both were traveling on separate motorcycles to Briceville, where Hall’s aunt was hosting the family’s annual Fourth of July cookout. He was wearing a helmet, but went head first into a ditch. Toomire knew immediately that his father-in-law was seriously hurt.

"He was unconscious,” he said. “I tapped him lightly and hollered ‘Steve, Steve, Steve,’ for probably 30 to 45 seconds before he came to."

Paramedics quickly rushed Hall to Methodist. When the decision was made to transfer him to Erlanger, hospital officials learned that LifeStar was been grounded due to bad weather. That meant they had to drive him more than 100 miles south by ambulance.

Family members then got word to the city council. Second District Representative Barbara Pelot, who was among the first to find out the news.

"It just devastates me because he's an excellent rider and he's ridden all over the United States,” said Pelot, who joined Hall as a new member on the council six years ago. “We all just felt so very close to our own hearts and Steve is very close to my heart. He has a precious wife and a beautiful family.”

Hall's wife Janet would normally have been riding with him, and the family is thankful she was visiting a sick relative instead.

"We see that it was a godsend he was sick,” said Toomire. “That is how the lord works sometimes; you just have to be patient."

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Hall either lost control or his motorcycle or it somehow malfunctioned. Investigators believe no matter what, speed was not a factor.

Volunteer TV and VolunteerTV.com will continue to bring you the latest on Steve Hall’s condition as he recovers.