Vitale, 2 others hurt in crash

Councilwoman recovering, another woman flown out in Severna Park accident

By HEATHER RAWLYK, Staff Writer

Capital Gazette Communications

Published 08/14/10

Councilwoman Cathy Vitale, who is running for state delegate in District 33A, was one of three women injured earlier this week in a serious crash at a Severna Park intersection that was apparently missing a stop sign, according to a county police report.

Photo courtesy of Shawn Coleman

Three women, including Councilwoman Cathy Vitale, were injured in a two-vehicle crash on Arundel Beach Road at Sunset Drive around 2 p.m. Thursday. A 49-year-old woman suffered serious injuries and was flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, county firefighters said. Vitale and a 32-year-old woman suffered minor injuries and were taken by ambulance to Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie.

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County police and paramedics were called to Arundel Beach Road and Sunset Drive just after 2 p.m. Thursday.

Officers found a gold Toyota Solara entangled with a fence and Vitale's county-issued 2003 Dodge Intrepid.

Karen Sweigart, 49, was trapped behind the steering wheel of the Toyota. Police said emergency crews had to cut the roof from the Toyota to free Sweigart...

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Accident - 2010-08-26 23:30:07

I would have to tend to agree that speed or distracted driving had something to do with this accident. An accident usually includes more than one failure. Someone failed to keep their eye on the road, failed the speed limit, traffic sign etc. I am no expert but the photo would seem to suggest a left hand turn or straigh awayto me as well. I have several other questions here. This is a residential neighborhood and I would imagine a fairly low speed limit. If you live in this neighborhood and there was a stop sign missing wouldn't someone know it. I would in my neighborhood. All the residents of the cul-de-sac certainly would. How can it just disapear after placement in 1995 and now we have a new one immediately. Let's say that was a child on a bike, would we have excused it to no stop sign if the child was killed? Maybe if there was no time to stop. I do not know. The other thing that is bothering me is why does a County Council member rate a County Car. When the council says we need to get rid of the tax cap to keep essential services and we give council members the choice of a county car or a car allowance, I have a problem with that. If the council is truly conservative they would be cutting the perks like that which are not needed. I wonder if we pay for the insurance as well? I can see giving them the federal mileage deduction on their personal car for official business only. Anyone agree?
We need to cut back on all the government perks and get back to a smaller more efficient and effective government.
Also if we are going to provide a car, why a large sedan? How about a small hybrid, like they want us to drive.
On another note why was the police report redacted. Since it was not the names, buth where the people live, that leads me to believe that no one wants anyone to talk to the people in the other vehicle that ran a stopsign that was not there. Either that or maybe they were illegals? Who knows and if you withhold the answers it only

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Curtis Blades - Odenton, MD - Karma: Neutral

Vitale - 2010-08-23 22:06:07

Response to C Mac August 17-

First you are from Annapolis; you cannot support Cathy Vitale regardless.
Second- I doubt that the driver of the gold car was trapped behind the steering wheel as you claimed. I imagine, that because of a fractured femur (large leg bone) she had to be removed as carefully as possible to cause less damage, thus removing the roof was the best way to do so for her.
Third if you were smart, you would see from the photo by the lack of damage to auto of Ms. Vitale, she was not traveling at a high rate of speed. (When did you receive your accident reconstruction license)? She was doing NOTHING wrong, the driver of the gold car came onto a main road WITHOUT stopping, and the Boulevard rules apply. As far as the fence oh it is plastic!
Fourth- stopping is easy, if you see the car/or children on the bikes
Fifth- if you are a Catholic, you need help, go see the priest yourself, shame on you!
Sixth Vitale has my support for Delegate one hundred percent!

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Mark Muckelbauer - Severna Park, Md - Karma: Neutral

Mary Ann - 2010-08-23 08:05:16

I believe that I read that the initial report had redacted the names.

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

Pat - 2010-08-18 10:41:18

The names were given, the addresses were redacted. @C Mac...this article clearly states that a stop sign was missing, not that speeding was a factor.

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Mary Ann Donnell - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Bigger question - 2010-08-18 10:26:08

is why were names redacted from the report? If this was nothing more than a traffic accident why redact names?

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

Children at Play !! - 2010-08-17 11:18:39

This was not just any accident, speed must be a factor!

This is a RESIDENTIAL area. Children are on Summer break, riding bikes and playing in the neighborhood. Vehicles must drive at a reasonable speed in order to stop quickly.

Plowing into another car, forcing it "through a fence, trapping someone behind the steering wheel and causing life threatening injuries", does not sound like responsible driving.

Residence should be outraged at the magnitude of this crash on their residential streets.

There has been little discussion regarding this accident. Let's not brush it under the rug because election day is near and confessing the irresponsible behavior, privately to a priest on Sunday, won't suffice. Another case of "Do as I Say, Not as I Do"?

Drive "CONSERVATIVELY", Cathy Vitale, you do not have my support.

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C Mac - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Accident Details - 2010-08-15 19:44:35

My guess is the details of this unfortunate accident are incorrectly described in Ms. Rawlyk's article. The photo displayed provides a clue.

If Ms. Vitale was proceeding west (actually southwest, towards Ritchie Highway) on Arundel Beach Road, and the Toyota took a right from Sunset Drive, it is highly unlikely there would have been a collision.

A more likely scenario, again a guess, is that the Toyota was making a left from Sunset Court, across the path of Vitale's vehicle. The position of the vehicles in the photo suggests as much.

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Stuart McGeady - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Excellent