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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Was a car crash at a Pride parade in Florida an LGBTQ hate crime?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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NO

According to the local police, the car crash that occurred during the June 19, 2021, Pride parade in Wilton Manors, Florida, was “a tragic accident, and not a criminal act directed at anyone, or any group of individuals.”

The Fort Lauderdale police department reported that the 77-year-old driver accidentally accelerated, hitting two pedestrians before continuing “across all lanes of traffic, ultimately crashing into the fence of a business.” The department noted that “the driver and both pedestrians are members of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus."’

The driver nearly hit a parade vehicle containing Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The driver was chosen to lead the parade in his truck because he is physically incapable of walking.

Investigations are ongoing. The driver, who has not been arrested and is cooperating with the police, was cleared of driving under the influence. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Wilton Manors (Florida) Police Department Statement on Pride parade incident
Fort Lauderdale Police Department press release on Pride parade incident
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Crash that killed 1 at Wilton Manors LGBTQ Pride parade was an accident, police say
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Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.