Tampa police are investigating a high-speed crash on Saturday that has left four people dead, and one more person in critical condition, after a man plowed his car into a crowd standing outside a bar in Ybor City, Florida, in the early morning hours. Authorities say the suspect is in custody, and there is no further danger to residents, according to multiple sources.
via WTVT:
Four people are dead and 11 are injured after a man crashed into an Ybor City business early Saturday morning, according to officers.
The Tampa Police Department said they arrested Silas Sampson, 22, on multiple charges after the massive deadly crash.
What we know:
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw says this began at 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning when officers spotted two vehicles racing near Hanna Avenue and Nebraska Avenue in Tampa. They proceeded westbound on Hillsborough Avenue when one of the vehicles drove onto I-275 Southbound.
The man driving the other car, 22-year-old Silas Sampson, proceeded towards the downtown area of Ybor City, a neighborhood to the northeast of downtown Tampa. Police went in pursuit, eventually arresting him on multiple charges:
Florida Highway Patrol troopers joined in and tracked the vehicle to Nebraska Avenue and Palm Avenue, where they attempted a PIT maneuver.
The vehicle then proceeded down busy 7th Avenue, and ultimately lost control of the car and crashed into a business, hitting more than a dozen people who were outside.
…
Three pedestrians were pronounced dead at the scene, and a fourth victim died at a hospital, according to TPD. Bercaw says 11 other people suffered injuries, some severe. All the victims were adults over the age of 20.
The business mentioned in the report was a local bar, where people were enjoying an uneventful Friday night outside. Chief Bercaw spoke about the “tragic incident,” calling it the result of a “careless, reckless driver”:
This morning we had a tragic incident where at least four victims senselessly lost their lives and eleven others were injured as a result of a careless, reckless driver.
The WTVT report continued:
Sampson was arrested and will be charged with four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing to elude with serious bodily injuries.
According to The Hill reporting linked above, this isn’t Sampson’s first time, when it comes to dangerous and illegal actions on the road:
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.
Prayers for the victims’ families and loved ones. This is a developing story. RedState will provide updates as more information becomes available.
