At Least 4 People Dead, 11 Others Injured After Car ‘Driving Recklessly’ Plows into Pedestrians in Florida

At least four people are dead and 11 others are injured after a vehicle struck a crowd of pedestrians in Tampa, Florida, early Saturday morning.

According to a news release from the Tampa Police Department (TPD), the crash occurred in the Ybor neighborhood around 12:40 a.m. on Nov. 8, when a car slammed into a business, hitting more than a dozen people who were outside.

“At around 12:40 a.m., the TPD Air Service was monitoring a vehicle driving recklessly on I-275. The driver continued to drive recklessly at a high rate of speed and exited the interstate at Doyle Carlton Drive,” police said.

Authorities added that the driver eventually “lost control” of the vehicle and crashed into a storefront, striking multiple pedestrians in the process. The same car had reportedly been seen street racing in another nearby area earlier that night.

A total of 15 people were affected by the crash. Three victims died at the scene, and a fourth passed away later at the hospital, police said.

One injured victim remains in critical condition, while eight others are hospitalized but stable. Two additional victims sustained minor injuries, according to the department.

Police identified the suspected driver as 22-year-old Silas Sampson, who was detained at the scene. The Florida Highway Patrol has taken over the investigation into the crash, the TPD confirmed.

TPD Chief Lee Bercaw described the event as a “senseless tragedy.”

“Our hearts are with the loved ones of the victims and all those who were impacted,” he said in a statement. “Reckless driving put innocent lives in danger. The Tampa Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol are committed to seeking justice for the victims and their families.”