Ex-GOP Congressman in Florida Highway Patrol Crash Amid Alleged Road Rage Incident

A Florida Highway Patrol car was reportedly hit by a former Republican congressman Madison Cawthorn’s vehicle on Monday, according to a witness.

Alethea Schapiro reported to X that she was driving in the left lane of Interstate 75, heading south towards Miami when a black sports car driver began to tailgate.

Shapiro remembered, “I moved to the right lane and increased the speed in front of a tractor-trailer for the car to pass. [Five] minutes later, the highway was completely stopped. I swerved off to the side, to ensure that no one was following me. Then, I slowed down to a complete stop.”

She continued: “Suddenly, the car door opened and an old man in a wheelchair rolled out. At the same time, I have to navigate around his car and I am looking forward to seeing the policeman exiting his rear-ended vehicle holding his neck in the left lane. ”

Shapiro identified Cawthorn as the driver. He shared a video that purported to show Cawthorn talking with a trooper.

“I pulled over to the right shoulder to check on everyone and to offer assistance. It was a shock to me that former CONGRESSMAN Cawthorne, from NC, was driving the car that slammed me into in a road rage tantrum. ”

I asked him if he was ok as he appeared to be shocked. I hadn’t seen the incident, I must have only been 30 seconds behind. They got some water from me because I was unsure what to do.

Shapiro claims that the officer thanked Shapiro because he stopped.

I was shocked and terrified by the sight.

A state trooper car of the Florida Highway Patrol was rear-ended at 4:30 pm, Monday afternoon on I-75, at mile marker sixty in a Collier County Construction Zone. Another vehicle, a Mercedes 2021, was being driven by a 28-year-old man from Cape Coral, Florida.

In a release to the press, Lt. Greg Bueno said that the trooper had suffered minor injuries. The trooper was transported to a hospital in the area.

Bueno said that Florida cited the driver of Mercedes for violating Florida’s Move Over Law.

According to public records, Cawthorn (28), a former representative of North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District in the United States Congress resides currently in a $1.1 million home in Cape Coral, Florida.

Cawthorn used to be a rising star in the GOP. His turbulent tenure as a politician was short but controversial. He later recanted this story after meeting Kevin McCarthy, the then-House Minority leader.

Cawthorn also faced charges of receiving illegal payments, insider dealing, and trying to carry a firearm through an airport. Cawthorn was arrested but not charged. He had been previously charged with driving under a suspended license.

Cawthorn lost the Republican primary in 2022 to Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., who went on to win the general election.

Cawthorn refused to confirm or deny when asked for a comment, that he was responsible for the Florida Highway Patrol patrol vehicle. He directed further questions to Cawthorn’s attorney.

Cawthorn’s legal representative has not confirmed or denied Cawthorn’s involvement in this accident.

“Mr. Cawthorn’s prayers are for the Florida highway police officers involved in the accident that occurred on Monday,” the attorney said.