Student involved in car accident

He was ticketed for failing to maintain one lane and wear a seat belt.

By Stephanie Clark

Published March 12, 2009

An MU sophomore was involved in an accident after losing control of his car and hitting a tree.

Paul Vitale, 19, was driving north in the 2300 block of Old 63 South when he lost control of his 2002 Pontiac Grand Am.

The vehicle hit a tree after going off the left side of the road. The car then came to a stop around 75 feet off the road, a Columbia Police Department news release stated.

Officials from the Columbia Fire Department, as well as Emergency Medical Services workers, responded to the scene to find Vitale trapped in his car.

Fire personnel removed him from his vehicle and he was then taken to University Hospital. Vitale was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.

Vitale had non-life threatening injuries but had noticeable scratches and bruises and possible cracked ribs, the news release stated.

Vitale was released from the hospital in stable condition.

Columbia Police Department Officer Brian Tate said at this time, there is no evidence regarding what caused the driver's loss in control of the vehicle. Vitale, however, was ticketed for failure to drive in a single lane and failure to wear a seatbelt.