The Digital Collegian - Published independently by students at Penn State
NEWS
[ Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 ]

Investigation into balcony fall nearly complete

Collegian Staff Writer

The investigation into a 20-year-old Penn State student's fall from her eighth-floor window is nearly complete, the State College Police Department said.

State College Police Sgt. Dana Leonard said that although police are about finished with the investigation, they do not have any new information into Natalie Paglione's fall.

Paglione has been upgraded to good condition at the Hershey Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said.

She fell from her window at about 2:55 a.m. on Sept. 8, landing on her face in the gravel near the parking lot of her Beaver Terrace apartment building, 456 E. Beaver Ave., after returning home from a party.

During the investigation, police have been looking into the possibility that alcohol played a role in the accident. Because Paglione is under 21, those who provided her with alcohol that night might have charges filed against them.

"The detectives have retraced her steps from that evening," Leonard said.

He added that the department plans to meet with the Centre County District Attorney's office to review the findings of the investigation and decide whether or not to press charges.

Witnesses at the scene said she was bleeding and was not breathing consistently after the fall.

Paglione was taken to Hershey Medical Center, where she later underwent surgery, including the removal of a kidney.

According to the Centre Region Code Administration, the window from which Paglione fell met the administration's required standards.

The window, which did not have a screen, was not required to have one because the building has mechanical ventilation. In addition, the window met the standards by not starting more than 44 inches from the floor.

 



TOP  HOME
Blogs  About  Contact Us  Back Issues  Advertising 

Copyright © 2009 Collegian Inc.