Attorney General Ashley Moody stated that Ryan Routh was responsible for a car crash that injured a 6-year-old girl.
The state of Florida has charged Routh with attempted murder following a car crash that occurred during his apprehension by law enforcement. Authorities allege the incident happened after Routh was spotted near President-elect Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course with a firearm, purportedly intending to assassinate Trump.
According to Moody, the charges stem from a crash on Interstate 95 during Routh’s attempted escape. Law enforcement reported that Routh fled after shooting at a Secret Service agent. The chase led to the temporary closure of the interstate, during which a 6-year-old girl sustained severe injuries in a collision. Moody emphasized that Routh’s actions directly caused the crash.
“When Routh fled the scene and drove north into Martin County, it foreseeably caused law enforcement to shut down Interstate 95 to preserve the life and safety of others,” the affidavit states. “Routh’s actions were the cause of a horrific car crash that severely injured the minor child. Routh’s intentional act of escaping the scene of his attempted act of terrorism could have easily resulted in the death of [the child], but fortunately did not.”
The affidavit also revealed that the young girl remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries sustained when the vehicle she was in was rear-ended.
“Despite the federal government frustrating our efforts, which we continue to challenge in court, we found that Mr. Routh’s actions caused catastrophic injuries to a six-year-old girl,” Moody stated. “My heart breaks for the child and her family, and while we continue to seek justice for President Trump, we will fight just as hard to ensure Mr. Routh pays for the tragedy his criminal actions brought on this Florida family.”
The charges are part of Florida’s broader investigation into the alleged assassination attempt on Trump. Moody and Governor Ron DeSantis have accused federal authorities of hindering the state’s inquiry.
“The federal government has stonewalled Florida’s investigation of the Trump assassination attempt at every turn, and I appreciate Attorney General Ashley Moody and her team for plowing forward despite such resistance,” DeSantis said. “The tide will turn on January 20th, and we fully expect that the federal roadblocks will be removed. The would-be assassin needs to face the full force of justice, and the people deserve the truth about the defendant’s history, motivations, and plan.”
Routh, who has pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to stand trial in February.
