Kris Allen spent Tuesday in the one place most Americans try to avoid after ringing in the new year: the emergency room.

The season eight "American Idol" champ landed in the hospital after getting involved in a nasty head-on car collision that resulted in a broken arm and some unspecified injuries to wife Katy Allen as well.

Just a few hours into 2013, Allen tweeted a note to fans about the crash, which, he noted, spared one of his passengers, beloved Internet-famous dog Zorro. "Thank you @ford for equipping me with a car that kept my whole family @katyallen @ZorroPup and the little one we have on the way safe," he wrote, adding some joy to the bad news by casually revealing that he and his wife are expecting their first child together.

Allen, who became the latest male "Idol" winner to [article id="1694183"]lose his major record label deal[/article]
 in September, assured fans that he was fine after the "really bad wreck," noting that he broke his wrist, but still plans to go out on his upcoming Out Alive tour, which is slated to kick off at the Pickle Barrel in Killington, Vermont on January 8.

Allen's mother, Kimberley, tweeted a photo of her surprised-looking son in a gurney, with his arm in some surgical wrap and his neck immobilized with a brace. "From Kris: he's in a lot of pain, arm broke, may not play guitar for a while," she wrote. "Prayers welcome please! #headoncollision."

Kimberley Allen updated Kris' status later, saying that both the singer and Katy were "pretty beat up" and that Kris will have surgery on Wednesday (January 2) on his arm.