DeSantis involved in car accident on drive to Chattanooga; Florida governor unhurt

close

Video

Scene of DeSantis car accident seen in Tennessee traffic cam video

Traffic camera footage showed police and EMS responding Tuesday to a car accident involving Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his team on I-75 in Tennessee. (TDOT Smartway Cameras)

Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was involved in a car accident in Tennessee on Tuesday, his spokesman says.

"This morning, the governor was in a car accident while traveling to an event in Chattanooga, Tennessee," Press Secretary Bryan Griffin told Fox News in a statement. "He and his team are uninjured. 

"We appreciate the prayers and well wishes of the nation for his continued protection while on the campaign trail," Griffin added.

A Chattanooga Police Department spokesperson told Fox News that the crash happened on Interstate 75 south around 8:15 a.m. after the front vehicle in DeSantis' four-car motorcade slowed down suddenly to avoid traffic in front of them, which caused the pile-up.

DESANTIS CAMPAIGN PROMISES CHANGES DURING ‘RESET’ MEETING

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the Family Leadership Summit on July 14, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.  (Charlie Neibergall)

A female staff member suffered minor injuries and was later treated at a campaign event while an investigation remains ongoing, the spokesperson added.

Traffic camera video from Tennessee Department of Transportation Smartway Cameras showed police and other first responders at the scene of the incident.

Traffic camera footage showed police and EMS responding Tuesday to a car accident involving Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his team on I-75 in Tennessee. (TDOT Smartway Cameras)

On Monday, Fox News reported that some of the top officials in DeSantis' 2024 presidential campaign are telling top donors that a campaign "reset" is underway.

The officials acknowledged Sunday during a meeting with leading campaign contributors and bundlers that they spent too much money in the two months since DeSantis declared his candidacy for the White House, sources with knowledge of the gathering confirmed to Fox News.

And they promised that more changes were ahead as DeSantis aims to rebound from what's characterized as a disappointing start to his campaign.

News of the meeting, which took place in Utah at the upscale Stein Eriksen Lodge at the Deer Valley resort, was first reported by Politico.

DESANTIS CAMP RELEASES SUPERCUT OF LIBERAL TALKING POINT THAT GOP GOVERNOR IS ‘FAR MORE DANGEROUS’ THAN TRUMP

Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis walks alongside his wife, Casey DeSantis, and son, Mason,  while marching in the Wolfeboro Independence Day Parade in New Hampshire on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News Digital)

Campaign officials, according to sources familiar with the meeting, acknowledged that money had been spent on unsuccessful operations and that Team DeSantis would run a leaner, "insurgent" type campaign going forward.

"Something needs to change and there needs to be a new ignition," a leading DeSantis donor told Fox News.

Former President Donald Trump, who's the commanding front-runner in the GOP nomination race as he makes his third straight White House run, has expanded his large double-digit lead over DeSantis in many polls in the two months since the Florida governor launched his campaign.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis and their three children. DeSantis is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. (Team DeSantis)

DeSantis has raised an impressive $20.1 million during the first six weeks of his campaign. But nearly half – $8.2 million – came in the first 24 hours after DeSantis declared his candidacy.

DeSantis has also been burning through his campaign coffers at a quicker rate than Trump. The governor’s campaign spent $7.9 million in half the time that Trump’s team shelled out $9.1 million.

Fox News' Kellianne Jones, Mark Meredith and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.