Photo: Chalabala / iStock / Getty Images
A speeding driver fleeing police crashed into a crowded bar in Tampa's historic Ybor City early Saturday (November 8), resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries to 11 others. The incident began when a Tampa Police Department air patrol unit spotted a silver sedan driving recklessly on a freeway around 12:40 a.m. ET. The vehicle, a 2019 Toyota Camry, was reportedly seen street racing in another neighborhood before heading southbound on Interstate 275.
The Florida Highway Patrol attempted a precision immobilization technique (PIT) to stop the car, but it was unsuccessful. As the vehicle sped toward Ybor City, the driver lost control and hit a crowd outside Bradley's on 7th, a popular bar in the area. Three victims died at the scene, and a fourth succumbed to injuries at a hospital. A fifth victim remains in critical condition, while eight others are stable. Two victims with minor injuries declined treatment.
The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Silas Sampson from Dade City, Florida, was arrested and is being held at the Hillsborough County Jail. He faces four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing or eluding with serious bodily injury or death, all first-degree felonies. Additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw expressed condolences, stating, "What happened this morning was a senseless tragedy, our hearts are with the loved ones of the victims and all those who were impacted." The Florida Highway Patrol is leading the ongoing investigation.