Elisha Newton "Cap" Dimick, a former state senator and first mayor of Palm Beach, built the original Royal Park Bridge as a wooden structure in 1911.
This incarnation of the Royal Park Bridge suffered severe damage during the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane,[2] including to its west approach, draw span, wiring, and protective fenders, some of which were completely removed.
However, temporary repairs, including the addition of wood and dirt fill-in, allowed vehicular and boat traffic to resume less than two weeks after the storm.
[8] Additionally, the victim's family filed a lawsuit against the bridge tender and Florida Drawbridges Inc. (FDI), resulting in a $8.2 million settlement in July 2022.
[9] In January 2023, Paulk pled guilty to one count of manslaughter and received a sentence of two days in jail, 200 hours of community service, and 8 years probation.