A Florida man accused of trying to kill Donald Trump at his golf course in Palm Beach is now facing even more serious charges after a car crash he caused left a 6-year-old girl badly injured. Prosecutors announced the new charges this week, adding to the long list of allegations against him.
Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old man, is already in big trouble for allegedly attempting to assassinate Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach back in September. But now, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody says Routh is also being charged with attempted murder because his actions led to the crash that critically hurt the little girl.
Here’s what happened: According to Moody, Routh’s desperate attempt to flee from police caused a series of events that resulted in the crash. A driver, distracted by reaching for her water bottle, slammed into another car, triggering a pile-up. The 6-year-old girl was one of the victims and was left with life-threatening injuries. She had to be cut out of her seatbelt by paramedics before being rushed to the hospital.
Moody expressed deep sadness for the child and her family, vowing to seek justice for both the little girl and Trump. She also criticized the federal investigation into the attempted assassination, accusing officials of not cooperating fully with her office’s efforts.
The original incident at the golf course is like something out of a thriller. On September 15, a Secret Service agent spotted Routh hiding in some bushes near the sixth hole of the course. He reportedly had a rifle aimed directly at the agent. When the agent noticed the weapon moving, he fired at Routh, who ran off and jumped into a black Nissan Xterra.
Investigators later found what they described as a “sniper’s nest” in the dense shrubbery. Inside, they found an SKS semi-automatic-style rifle leaning against a fence.
The chase that followed led to chaos on Interstate 95. Deputies eventually stopped Routh’s car, and he was arrested without further incident. However, the highway backup caused by the high-risk stop led to the tragic crash involving the young girl.
Routh is now facing a long list of charges, both state and federal. At the federal level, he’s accused of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and other serious crimes. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
This isn’t the first time Trump has been targeted. Just a few months earlier, in July, he was grazed by a bullet during a rally in Pennsylvania. In that case, law enforcement shot and killed the would-be assassin.
As for Routh, his next court appearance is set for February 10 in the federal case. Interestingly, the judge handling the case, Aileen Cannon, is the same judge who dismissed the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case against Trump. Despite some controversy, she has declined to step aside from Routh’s case.
The situation has left many shaken, not just because of the attempted assassination but also because of the ripple effects of Routh’s actions, which nearly took the life of an innocent child. It’s a reminder of how one person’s choices can lead to devastating consequences for others.
