Gene Hackman had to be airlifted to a trauma centre, after he was hit by a car while riding a bicycle in Florida on Friday, according to officials.

Sgt. Tom Pikul of the Florida Highway Patrol said that the 81-year-old actor suffered non-life threatening injuries to his body and legs after a driver rammed him for ‘unknown reasons’ around 3 p.m.

“He’s fine, everything is okay,” the New York Daily News quoted Hackman’s publicist Susan Madore as saying.

“It was just minor bumps and bruises.

“He’s already on his way home.

“I spoke to his wife.

“My understanding is that he was bumped from behind by someone in their car.

She said that Hackman “would rather die than call attention to himself,” but the helicopter flight was necessary because the incident happened on an island.

The actor was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

“He was conscious when he was airlifted,” Pikul said.

“He was stable and in good condition.

He said early reports that Hackman sustained head injuries were not accurate.

Pikul said that the Superman, star was riding alone on a side road known as the Old Highway in the Florida Keys.

“It’s an off-road area. Sort of a side road. It’s not a fast thoroughfare at all,” he added.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.