CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Newly released video recorded by the Tennessee Highway Patrol shows the immediate aftermath of a chain-reaction crash involving Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this summer.
DeSantis was travelling to a presidential campaign event in Chattanooga on July 25 when the SUV he was riding in was rear-ended by another SUV in his motorcade as interstate traffic abruptly slowed.
The video, which News 6 and WDEF-TV obtained through a public record request, was captured by a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper’s body-worn camera as he led the governor’s motorcade in a marked THP vehicle.
[VIEW THE BODY-CAMERA FOOTAGE BY CLICKING IN THE MEDIA PLAYER BELOW]
A separate crash ahead of the motorcade, reportedly triggered by a dog running onto the interstate, prompted the trooper to quickly stop his patrol vehicle, the new video shows.
The SUV carrying DeSantis also stopped but was rear-ended as three other motorcade SUVs following the governor collided.
As the trooper emerged from his vehicle, his camera captured DeSantis’ SUV a few feet behind with minor damage to its rear bumper and tailgate.
“I’ve got them coming,” the trooper announced to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents driving the motorcade SUVs, presumably referring to emergency first responders.
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The video also shows three other SUVs in the motorcade that were so severely damaged in the crash they had to be towed away from the scene.
“Is he OK? Where’s he at?” one FDLE agent who was in a different SUV asked the trooper.
DeSantis was not injured in the crash, but a campaign staff member sitting in the back seat next to him complained of minor injuries.
“I need an EMS going to the residence where we’re going,” the FDLE agent driving the governor’s SUV told the trooper. “No lights and sirens. We’ve got a staffer who needs to be checked out.”
DeSantis’ presidential campaign event was held at a private residence on the other side of Chattanooga, sources confirmed to News 6.
Less than four minutes after the crash, the SUV carrying DeSantis and the injured staffer left the crash scene, the newly released video shows.
“I think he might be driving off,” the trooper told an unidentified person over his radio. “He can’t stay here.”
Several other FDLE agents remained behind on the interstate and provided information to traffic crash investigators.
The injured staff member was later checked out by paramedics but was not transported to a hospital, according to a crash report.
A firefighter who arrived at the crash scene to clean up debris from the road asked the trooper about DeSantis.
“Somebody’s gone to check on him, make sure he’s good, the governor, and get the vehicle information from him?,” the firefighter inquired.
“(A Tennessee Highway Patrol) captain is going where he’s at right now,” the trooper responded. “He’ll probably beat me there. We’ve got to get more info.”
The Chattanooga Police Department, which later investigated the four-vehicle crash, did not find anyone at fault.
“There were no citations issued, and there are no outstanding concerns that require further investigation,” a Chattanooga Police Department spokesperson previously told News 6.
Representatives from the Tennessee Highway Patrol did not immediately respond to questions from News 6 about the crash and the newly released video.
FDLE officials have not disclosed who is covering the cost of the damaged SUVs, which records show were rented from Avis.
DeSantis signed a law earlier this year shielding his travel records from public view, reportedly for security reasons.
Federal campaign finance records indicate the DeSantis presidential campaign submitted payments to Avis in July and August, but a campaign spokesperson did not respond to questions inquiring whether it paid for the vehicles involved in the Chattanooga crash.
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