ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A crash report has revealed new details in the trolley crash last month that left 12 people injured in St. Augustine.
The crash happened on July 17 between 11 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. at Charlotte Street and St. Francis Street, according to St. Johns County Fire Rescue.
Crews on the scene said the trolley overturned while it was making a turn. The driver of the trolley, Gregory Robinson, 72, was attempting to make a left turn at the Oldest House when the last trolley car in line rolled on its side.
Passengers riding in the last car were ejected and some became pinned against the trolley car and the road, according to the crash report. After the car turned over, Robinson continued to drive forward, dragging the trolley car and its trapped passengers.
Once the trolley came to a stop, uninjured passengers were able to lift the trolley car off of the trapped passengers before first responders arrived on scene.
Twelve people were injured in the crash, including one person who was flown to an Orange Park hospital. First responders took the other eleven to the hospital by ambulance, the fire department said. All of the injuries were considered non-life-threatening.
The trolley belonged to the Old Town Trolley Tours company.
During the investigation, officers spoke with some passengers from the crash who stated that just before the trolley turned into the Oldest House, Robinson began telling a story. The passengers said Robinson mentioned his favorite ride at an amusement park was "The Whip" and then said, "I'm going to whip it."
Robinson then told the people in the back of the trolley to "hold on", the report said. The trolley accelerated and then made a left turn prior to the last trolley car flipping over.
After speaking with passengers, officers continued investigating and found that Robinson had gone off the tour script after telling them required information about the Oldest House. Police said Robinson told the people in the last trolley car to "Hold on to your kids and belongings" after referencing the ride at the amusement park.
After investigating, officers found that Robinson drove the trolley with a "willful and wanton" disregard for the passengers. "His actions caused great bodily injury to the occupants that were ejected after attempting to 'whip' the last trolley car," police said.
Based on the evidence, charges for reckless driving causing great bodily injury have been sent to the State Attorney's Office.