Florida authorities announced Wednesday that they are pursuing state charges against Ryan Wesley Routh, a man already facing federal charges for attempting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump. The new charges stem from a car crash that occurred during efforts to apprehend Routh, resulting in serious injuries to a 6-year-old girl.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody revealed that her office has obtained an arrest warrant for Routh, who is currently in federal custody. Moody stated that the crash, which occurred on Interstate 95 after officials stopped traffic to capture Routh, qualifies as attempted felony murder under state law.
The incident happened approximately 30 minutes after Routh’s arrest. Moody argued that Routh’s actions directly led to the multivehicle crash and the child’s injuries.
“When you combine the terrible injuries to this young girl with the suspect’s other criminal conduct — which we believe constitutes domestic terrorism — it elevates his actions to attempted felony murder,” Moody said during a press conference.
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Details of the Incident
Routh is accused of methodically planning to assassinate Trump for weeks. On September 15, Routh allegedly aimed a rifle at Trump as he played golf at his West Palm Beach country club. Before Trump came into view, a Secret Service agent spotted Routh in the shrubbery. When Routh aimed his weapon at the agent, the agent opened fire, causing Routh to drop the rifle and flee.
Routh was captured shortly thereafter, and authorities shut down traffic on Interstate 95 during the arrest. Investigators say the crash that followed was a direct consequence of Routh’s criminal actions.
Federal and State Prosecutions
Routh faces federal charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and multiple firearm-related offenses. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Florida’s parallel investigation, announced by Governor Ron DeSantis shortly after the Florida incident, aims to pursue the most severe state-level charges available.
It is common for state and federal agencies to conduct simultaneous investigations, as each jurisdiction may bring different charges depending on the circumstances.
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Background on Routh
Routh’s arrest in Florida occurred just two months after Trump was wounded in the ear during a separate assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign rally. The Secret Service acknowledged security lapses in that incident but credited its protocols for preventing the Florida attack from escalating.
The injured 6-year-old girl, traveling with her family during the Interstate 95 crash, remains the central focus of the state’s attempted felony murder case. Prosecutors plan to file the charge once Routh is transferred to state custody.
Routh’s attorney has declined to comment on the new developments.
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