A tragic incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday morning in Ybor City, Florida, as a Dade City man now faces eight felony charges following a devastating crash that claimed the lives of four individuals. The Tampa Police Department provided details of the event, which occurred just after midnight.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw reported that the chain of events began around 12:40 a.m. when police helicopters observed two cars racing west along Hillsborough Avenue towards Interstate 275. As they approached the highway, one vehicle veered off, while the other continued southbound on I-275.
Upon exiting into the downtown area, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) attempted to pull over the speeding vehicle but were unsuccessful, Chief Bercaw noted. A PIT maneuver was also tried but failed to bring the car to a halt.
During a brief press conference, Sergeant Steve Gaskins explained that troopers decided to disengage from pursuing the vehicle as it entered Ybor City, prioritizing public safety.
Tragically, the car continued onto 7th Avenue at high speed, ultimately crashing near Bradley’s bar. The vehicle struck more than a dozen pedestrians gathered outside, resulting in severe consequences. The extent of structural damage to the bar was not detailed by authorities.
The car sped down 7th Avenue and crashed near a bar, Bradley’s, plowing through more than a dozen people who were outside. Police did not specify what kind of damage the building sustained.
Three of the victims died at the scene, and a fourth person died at the hospital. As of around 5:30 a.m., a fifth person is in critical condition, and eight more are being treated at local hospitals in stable condition. Two others with minor injuries declined treatment at the scene.
Bercaw said all of the victims were adults over 20 years of age.
The suspect, 22-year-old Silas Sampson, was arrested at the scene. He has been charged with four felony counts of vehicular homicide and four felony counts of aggravated fleeing with serious bodily injury.
Court records indicate that Sampson received a citation for speeding in Hillsborough County less than two months ago. The complaint said he was going 99 mph on Interstate 75, where the speed limit is 70 mph.
