MIAMI -- Jarrett Payton, the son of the late NFL star Walter
Payton, and two other University of Miami football players were
injured in a car accident Saturday night.
Payton, fellow running back Clinton Portis and defensive lineman
Clint Hurtt were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's trauma
center, where they were treated for minor cuts and bruises and
released, Miami offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski said.
The accident occurred about 6 p.m. when Hurtt, who was driving
Payton's 1999 BMW convertible southbound on Interstate 95 near
downtown Miami, realized the left lane was an exit and swerved to
the right, said Lt. Ernesto Duarte of the Florida Highway Patrol.
To avoid cars, Hurtt veered back to the left, struck a retaining
wall and the car spun out of control, hitting another car, Duarte
said.
None of the players was wearing seat belts, the top was down
and Portis and Hurtt were ejected, Duarte said. Payton's BMW was
totaled.
"They are very, very fortunate they didn't suffer more severe
injuries or nobody died," he said.
Alcohol was not a factor, Duarte said.
"Driver error and speed contributed to this particular crash,"
he said.
Hurtt was cited for careless driving.
Payton is the son of the Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back
who died of bile duct cancer in November 1999. The younger Payton
ran for 262 yards as a freshman in 1999 and redshirted last season
because of an ankle injury.
Portis was expected to start for the Hurricanes this fall. He
set the school's freshman rushing record in 1999 with 838 yards and
had 485 yards in an injury-shortened season last year.
Hurtt, a senior, is out for the season with a knee injury.
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