Land O’ Lakes Woman Faces Multiple Felony Charges Following Clearwater Jolly Trolley Collision and Escape Attempt

Ashley Reith faces felony charges in Pinellas County after allegedly hitting a Clearwater trolley while impaired and hiding drugs in her clothing.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 8:53 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Tampa Bay 28

A Disastrous Collision on South Gulfport Boulevard

The tranquility of Clearwater’s coastal transit was shattered Saturday evening when a 2017 Jeep struck the iconic Jolly Trolley, causing immediate structural damage and a swift law enforcement response. According to the Clearwater Police Department, the incident occurred at approximately 9:15 p.m. on South Gulfport Boulevard, leaving the trolley with an estimated $1,200 in damages. The force of the impact rendered the suspect’s vehicle disabled shortly after the point of collision, forcing the driver to abandon the SUV in the middle of the roadway. Witnesses at the scene provided crucial descriptions to arriving officers, pointing toward a woman who was attempting to distance herself from the wreckage on foot.

Deceptive Claims Unraveled by Technology

Upon being confronted by investigators, the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Ashley Reith, reportedly engaged in a series of denials regarding her involvement in the crash. According to the arrest affidavit, Reith maintained that she had not been operating the Jeep and claimed her personal vehicle was parked significantly farther north from the accident site. However, this defense crumbled when officers requested she use her key fob to lock the vehicle she claimed was not hers. The 2017 Jeep immediately responded by flashing its lights and locking its doors, providing a direct physical link between the suspect and the disabled transport at the center of the investigation.

Narcotics Discovery on the Driver’s Seat

The investigation transitioned from a traffic offense to a narcotics case as officers conducted a visual sweep of the Jeep’s interior. Police reported finding a glass pipe and a three-gram bag containing a substance that field-tested positive for crystal methamphetamine, resting in plain view on the driver’s seat. Despite the mounting evidence, Reith continued to distance herself from the findings, telling authorities that the illicit substances were not her property. This discovery added significant weight to the charges, as the presence of high-grade stimulants in the operator’s immediate vicinity suggests a severe level of impairment at the time of the trolley strike.