An injured student says he used his Eagle Scout training to help his teammates after a three-car crash sent a vehicle into their group near the University of Central Florida on Friday night.
Drake Schluth was among eight teenagers hurt in the crash on University Boulevard, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The West Boca Raton debate team students were visiting Orlando for a tournament at UCF and were walking from their hotel to get pizza at Lazy Moon.
“I stand up and all I see is just this scene of my friends just sprawled out across the grass,” Schluth said.
Troopers said a 2007 Honda Fit rear-ended a 2020 Honda Civic, setting off a three-car crash that sent the Civic into the students.
Schluth said he was at the front of the group and had little time to react.
“I saw the car coming, but I had maybe, I want to say less than half a second to react,” he said.
Schluth said he was struck on the outside of his right knee. He is now using crutches.
“I got clipped on the right side of my knee on the outside,” he said. “By what I got clipped by, I don’t know. If it was debris or the car, I’m unsure.”
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“I got clipped on the right side of my knee on the outside,” he said. “By what I got clipped by, I don’t know. If it was debris or the car, I’m unsure.”
Despite his injury, Schluth said his Eagle Scout training kicked in as he began checking on his friends.
“I just started running around making sure, hey, are you OK? Are you awake? Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?” he said.
Schluth said he did not fully feel the pain until he was in an ambulance and began calming down.
Instead of competing in the tournament, the students headed home. Schluth said the emotional toll became clearer once he was back with his family.
“I just had a conversation with my mom and just started breaking down because it was honestly that terrifying,” he said.
Schluth said he heard part of what the Honda Fit’s driver said before leaving. He paraphrased the statement as a denial of responsibility.
“It is just downright disgusting the fact that my teammates, who are anywhere from the range of 14 to 15 to almost adults, and myself who is freshly an adult, have to deal with just the mental load of knowing that someone decided not to care,” he said.
Investigators later found the Honda Fit abandoned at a hotel, but the driver was not there, according to FHP.
FHP said the case remains an active criminal investigation. The Honda Fit will be processed for evidence to help determine who was driving, a process involving the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that could take several weeks.
Anyone with information is asked to contact FHP or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).