A St. Johns County family has settled its lawsuit against a 13-year-old driver and his parent after a golf cart crash left a 15-year-old girl with what the family described as permanent injuries.
The plaintiffs notified St. Johns County Circuit Court in July that the parties had resolved the case, The St. Johns Citizen reported Monday, Aug. 24. Settlement terms were not disclosed, and the court filing does not indicate the defendants admitted wrongdoing.
The crash happened May 31, 2024. According to the family's complaint, the 13-year-old boy was driving a golf cart carrying five minors when he suddenly accelerated, causing the girl to be violently ejected onto the road. The family alleged she sustained permanent injuries, physical pain, disability and emotional distress.
The girl's parents named the boy and his parent, who owned the cart, as defendants. They accused the young driver of negligence and alleged the parent failed to properly supervise him or prevent unsafe operation of the vehicle.
Attorney Nicolas B. Iannucci of Morgan & Morgan's Jacksonville office represented the plaintiffs.
County ordinance preceded crash
The crash occurred roughly five months after St. Johns County adopted Ordinance 2024-7 in January 2024, which tightened golf cart rules amid concerns about accidents involving underage drivers. The ordinance prohibits anyone younger than 18 from operating a golf cart on county roads or multiuse paths unless the driver holds a valid learner's permit or driver's license.
The 13-year-old driver would not have met that threshold.
Golf carts are common in St. Johns County's planned communities, where families use them on neighborhood paths and connector roads. Under the ordinance, parents who allow unlicensed minors to drive their carts can face civil liability, as this case illustrates.
What residents should know
Under Ordinance 2024-7, golf cart operators on county roads and multiuse paths must hold a valid learner's permit or driver's license. Anyone younger than 18 who lacks one of those credentials is prohibited from driving a cart on those routes.
Residents can report unsafe golf cart operation to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
