Driver Crashes Into Ybor City Bar, Killing Four and Injuring Thirteen

TAMPA, Fla. — Four people are dead and at least 13 injured after a car crash outside a business in Ybor City early Saturday morning. Tampa Police arrested 22-year-old Silas Sampson in connection with the incident.

The Tampa Police Department said police noticed two vehicles racing around 12:30 a.m. Saturday near Hanna Avenue and Nebraska Avenue. The vehicles then headed west on Hillsborough Avenue, and one of them entered I-275 Southbound.

Sampson continued driving recklessly and lost control on 7th Avenue, crashing into the patio of Bradley's On 7th, located in the 1500 block of East 7th Avenue. More than a dozen patrons were struck as the vehicle veered off course.

According to authorities, three pedestrians died at the scene, while a fourth victim later died at a hospital. Thirteen others sustained injuries ranging from life-threatening to minor. Initial reports indicated some victims may have sought treatment on their own, leading authorities to believe the total could be higher.

Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw commented on the tragedy, stating, “This morning we had a tragic incident where at least four victims senselessly lost their lives… as a result of a careless, reckless driver.”

As of now, investigators found no evidence that Sampson targeted any specific person or business. He faces charges of four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing to elude.

Witnesses were shaken by the event. Howard Hopkins, present during the crash, described the chaotic scene: “Tables went everywhere, chairs went everywhere, bodies went everywhere — it was pretty bad.”

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor expressed her condolences via social media, calling the incident devastating. “Families are grieving, first responders are hurting, and our entire city feels this loss,” she wrote.

The area around 7th Avenue between 15th and 18th Streets remains closed as police continue their investigation. The Florida Highway Patrol is leading the inquiry into the crash.