Rhode Island parade organizers probe accident at oldest July 4th fest
BRISTOL, R.I. (AP) — The committee that organizes the nation’s oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration says it’s trying to figure out how a woman was struck by a parade float, to prevent future accidents.
The accident occurred Tuesday in Bristol.
A committee officer told WJAR-TV that they’re following up with police and that safety is the parade’s priority.
The Providence Journal reports that the 69-year-old woman from Maine suffered abrasions to her legs.
Police say she was struck and dragged by a float carrying a replica of the USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier.
The woman, who was part of the Saratoga Museum group sponsoring the float, was taken to the hospital.
Police are investigating.
A Fourth of July celebration has taken place in Bristol since 1785 and now attracts around 100,000 people.
