The family of a Minnesota woman who's paralyzed after being struck by a driver who entered a triathlon course in Florida has hired a law firm to investigate the incident.

Ashleigh Whitton was competing Sunday morning in the 40-kilometer bike ride portion of the BillBone Olympic Triathlon in West Palm Beach, Fla., when she was struck by the passenger side of a vehicle that drove onto a partially closed street.

The 45-year-old Eden Prairie woman suffered a severe spinal cord injury that's paralyzed her from the neck down. She remains hospitalized.

Whitton's family is now seeking answers with the help of Orlando, Fla.-based personal injury law firm Morgan & Morgan.

“Ashleigh traveled from Minnesota to compete in this race, as she had for many triathlons before. It’s completely inexcusable that a driver entered the course and, in an instant, altered Ashleigh’s life forever," Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Hutch Pinder say in a statement.

"We are working tirelessly to uncover all the evidence so we can understand how this happened, how it might have been prevented, and who is responsible.”

A GoFundMe has raised more than $90,000 to help cover medical bills, long-term care and other unexpected expenses, with Whitton expected to stay in the hospital for weeks before she can begin extensive rehabilitation.

Whitton woke up for the first time Thursday and is using blinks to communicate since she's still on a ventilator.

An update on the crowdfunding campaign says she doesn't remember the collision or why she's in the hospital, and her husband Patrick had to explain what happened and why she's currently unable to move.

“Ashleigh is an extraordinary woman who has impacted so many lives. She is one of the strongest and most selfless people you will ever meet. She’s an incredible mother, loving stepmother and devoted wife," Patrick Whitton says in a statement provided by Morgan & Morgan.

"We don’t know what the future holds for Ashleigh, but we know she will fight hard to recover to the extent that she can, and that her family and I will be by her side every step of the way.”

This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Apr 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.