Wildwood, New Jersey, sued over golf cart crash involving child in impairment goggles

The town of Wildwood, New Jersey, and its police department are facing a lawsuit following an incident during a National Night Out community event on August 6, 2024. The lawsuit alleges that an 11-year-old boy was permitted to operate a golf cart while wearing impairment goggles designed to simulate drunk driving.

During the demonstration at Fox Park, the child reportedly pressed the accelerator and lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the course and into a crowd. Wildwood police officer Jonathan Goraj was reportedly in the passenger seat at the time of the crash.

The plaintiffs, including Wildwood resident Christopher Hines and several family members from Ohio, claim injuries to the neck, back, ribs, and hips, as well as severe emotional trauma. The lawsuit contends that the police department should have recognized the inherent risks of having a child simulate intoxication while operating a motorized vehicle.