High-Speed Chase in Tampa Results in Tragic Collision, Four Dead

TAMPA, Fla. — Early Saturday morning, a high-speed chase in Tampa ended in tragedy when a 22-year-old driver collided with a crowd in Ybor City, killing four people and injuring eleven others.

The incident occurred around 12:40 a.m. when the Tampa Police Department (TPD) Air Service began tracking a vehicle reported for speeding and reckless driving. Officers noted that the car had previously been seen racing on Hillsborough Avenue.

As the police monitored the situation from the air, the vehicle exited the interstate at Doyle Carlton Drive. TPD and Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officers tried to perform a pit maneuver when they located the car near Palm Avenue and Nebraska Avenue, but the driver evaded their attempts.

The driver, identified as Silas Sampson, continued to speed and lost control as he approached the 1500 block of East 7th Avenue in the Ybor neighborhood, where a group of people was gathered. The vehicle crashed into a business, resulting in chaos.

Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a fourth succumbed to injuries at the hospital. Currently, a fifth victim is in critical condition, and eight others are being treated at nearby hospitals in stable condition. All victims are adults.

Authorities have confirmed that Sampson was detained at the scene. This case remains under investigation.