Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Wednesday that her office is filing an attempted felony murder charge against Ryan Wesley Routh, the man accused of plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump. The new charge stems from a car crash that injured a young girl after law enforcement apprehended Routh on a Florida highway.
Highway Crash Leads to New Charges
The incident occurred after officials stopped traffic on Interstate 95 to capture Routh. According to investigators, the resulting multivehicle crash seriously injured a 6-year-old girl traveling with her family. Attorney General Moody emphasized that Routh’s actions contributed to the crash, warranting the attempted felony murder charge.
“When you couple those terrible injuries, together with his other criminal conduct, which we believe rises to the level of domestic terrorism, it turns his actions into an attempted felony murder case,” Moody said during a press conference.
Federal Charges Already in Place
Routh is already in federal custody on charges related to the assassination attempt, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and gun crimes. He has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.
According to prosecutors, Routh meticulously planned to kill Trump, aiming a rifle at him while Trump played golf at his West Palm Beach country club on September 15. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. When Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at the agent, the agent fired back, forcing Routh to flee without firing a shot.
Parallel State and Federal Investigations
Governor Ron DeSantis announced shortly after Routh’s arrest that Florida would launch its own investigation parallel to the federal probe. State prosecutors aim to pursue the most severe charges available under Florida law.
“It’s not uncommon for state and federal authorities to investigate simultaneously,” a legal expert noted. “Different jurisdictions may bring unique charges based on the nature of the crimes.”
Previous Security Failures in Focus
Routh’s arrest came just two months after another assassination attempt on Trump during a Pennsylvania campaign rally left him with a gunshot wound to the ear. The Secret Service faced scrutiny for security lapses during that incident but maintained that the response to the Florida threat followed protocol.
Victim’s Condition and Legal Proceedings
The young girl injured in the highway crash suffered severe injuries, but further details about her condition have not been released.
Routh’s attorney declined to comment on the new charges through a representative. A court date for the attempted felony murder charge will be set once Routh is transferred to state custody.
A Chilling Sequence of Events
The unfolding legal cases against Routh highlight the complexity of prosecuting domestic terrorism. With both state and federal prosecutors pursuing charges, authorities are committed to ensuring accountability for actions that could have had devastating consequences.
