ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The driver of a PSTA trolley involved in a 2023 crash that critically injured a 15-year-old girl was arrested on Thursday, authorities announced.
The St. Petersburg Police Department said Chrishawn Rogers, 55, was charged with reckless driving with serious bodily injury. She also received the following citations: red light violation, failure to change address, providing false information in a crash, and speeding too fast for the intersection.
On Nov. 19, 2023, around 11:22 a.m., officers responded to a pedestrian who was struck by the trolley on 1st Avenue South near 7th Street.
St. Petersburg police said the trolley driver, Chrishawn Rodgers drove through a red-light and sped up to do it.
“Being a trolley operator with passengers onboard she has a higher duty, a higher standard. She has a CDL, which is a commercial driver's license, and she failed and was ultimately arrested for reckless driving with serious bodily injury,” said Lt. Jason Levy with the St. Pete Police Department.
The girl, Tammy Burch from Gulfport, had just exited the SunRunner bus when she crossed the road and was struck by the trolley.
She was transported to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in critical condition. As of Jan. 18, she's still recovering.
Rodgers was transported to St. Anthony's Hospital with minor injuries. PSTA said she is no longer an employee.
But the union head, April Murphy, is fighting to get Rodger’s job back.
Murphy says she saw surveillance video from the trolley and says the teen wasn’t in the crosswalk, and she questions why Rodgers was arrested at all.
“It wasn’t like she raced to get through the light. It’s absolutely not how they are making it out to be. That’s wrong. And the way they say she blatantly made a conscious decision. No, it wasn’t like that at all,” said Murphy.
As for Tammy, her father, Larry Burch, who is a supervisor for PSTA told me she will have multiple surgeries including a procedure to reattach her skull.
She’s already had her spleen removed and several other injuries. They expect her recovery to take about a year. He said she still has a feeding tube.
He told me it will be lots of work but calls it a “labor of love.”
“She’s very fortunate to be alive. She’s had numerous surgeries. Has a long road to recovery, potential future surgeries,” said Levy.
Murphy said while she feels for the victim, she also wants to see the charges dropped.
“I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t think it’s necessary. I think the St. Pete Police are doing a dis-justice. I don’t know why they are doing it,” said Murphy.
The family started a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses.
Two passengers on the trolley were also transported to local hospitals with minor injuries.
