Former Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn was accused by a witness of crashing his vehicle into a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser on Interstate 75. Alethea Shapiro claimed she was tailgated by an aggressive driver in a black sports car, which she later identified as Cawthorn. She recounted the incident where the state trooper’s vehicle was rear-ended and noted that the trooper sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital. The driver of the Mercedes, identified as Cawthorn, was cited for violating Florida’s Move Over Law.
Shapiro shared a video showing Cawthorn conversing with the state trooper after the crash. She described the scene as surreal and unsettling, especially after realizing that the same car had been driving aggressively around her moments before the collision. Cawthorn’s legal representative declined to confirm or deny his involvement in the accident, stating that his prayers go out to the injured officer. Public records indicate that Cawthorn now resides in a $1.1 million home in Cape Coral, Florida, following his loss in the 2022 Republican primary.
Cawthorn, once seen as a rising star in the GOP, faced a tumultuous term in office marked by controversies and allegations of misconduct. He falsely claimed to have been invited to orgies on Capitol Hill, which he later retracted after meeting with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. During his time in office, Cawthorn was accused of insider trading, improper payments, and attempting to carry a handgun through an airport, among other charges. He also had a history of driving with a revoked license, adding to his troubled reputation.
The 28-year-old Cawthorn lost the 2022 Republican primary to Rep. Chuck Edwards and later relocated to Florida. Despite his brief and controversial tenure in Congress, Cawthorn’s legal troubles continued with the recent incident on Interstate 75. The witness, Shapiro, expressed shock and concern over the aggressive driving behavior displayed by the former congressman prior to the crash. Both Cawthorn and his attorney remained tight-lipped about his involvement in the accident, leaving questions unanswered about the events leading up to the collision.
The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed the details of the crash, stating that the state trooper’s vehicle was hit in a construction zone on I-75. The trooper sustained minor injuries, and the driver of the Mercedes, believed to be Cawthorn, was cited for a traffic violation. The incident adds another layer to Cawthorn’s troubled past and raises questions about his behavior behind the wheel. With his political career derailed by scandals and controversies, Cawthorn’s move to Florida and involvement in this recent crash deepen the perception of his erratic and risky behavior both on and off the political stage.
