Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn Crashes Sports Car into Florida State Trooper, Witness Says

Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn allegedly crashed into and injured a Florida state trooper on Monday April 15, reports Newsweek, the Miami Herald and The Asheville Citizen Times.

According to the Miami Herald, the Florida Highway Patrol reported that a 2021 Mercedes rear-ended an FHP Dodge Charger in a construction zone in Collier County, Fla. The trooper “sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.”

Authorities did not name Cawthorn as the driver, but the description they did provide —a 28-year-old male from Cape Coral, Fla. —matches the former U.S. Rep's age and place of residence.

Another driver, Alethea Shapiro, shared eyewitness video on X (formerly known as Twitter) of a wheelchair-using driver who she identified as the former politician. Cawthorn was in a car crash at 18 years old that left him paralyzed from the waist down and requiring the use of a wheelchair.

Shapiro shared details on social media that aligned with the FHP’s report. She explained that while she was driving on I-75 toward Miami at around 4:30 p.m., the Mercedes driver was “tailgating her relentlessly.”

"I ignored it, assuming the person would go around me if they were so impatient," Shapiro told Newsweek. "When they didn't I just decided to change lanes so I didn't have to stress it."

But then minutes later, the Mercedes rear-ended an FHP cruiser. "Suddenly the car door opens and a man in a wheelchair rolls out," she shared in her X post.

She clarified she did not witness the crash, but she saw the aftermath. She noted that the FHP officer was “stunned” and was holding his neck as he left the vehicle. 

The former North Carolina congressman was saying, “‘I am so sorry,’” said Shapiro, per Newsweek. She pulled over and spoke to the trooper about the driver’s identity. "I informed him of who the driver was and he confirmed it.”

"I asked several times if he was sure he was OK and if he wanted me to stay and he said he was fine and thanked me for stopping," she explained, per Newsweek. Shapiro shared that the scene of the crash was "very uncomfortable to witness,” adding that she “felt badly for both the men, [but] luckily they were relatively unscathed."

The politician first emerged on the national stage at 25 when he won North Carolina's 11th Congressional District seat in 2020. Two years later, he conceded his run for re-election in the Republican primary.

Before he conceded in May 2022, Cawthorn was stopped by police for several driving offenses, one of which he was charged with driving with a revoked license, reported Newsweek.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Cawthorn could not be reached for comment. A representative for the Florida Highway Patrol did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Tuesday.