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A tragic incident unfolded in Ybor early Saturday morning when a high-speed chase resulted in four fatalities, leading to a Dade City man facing eight felony charges. The Tampa Police Department has confirmed the details surrounding this heartbreaking event.
The chase began around 12:40 a.m., as Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw recounted. Police air units observed two vehicles racing westward on Hillsborough Avenue, drawing attention as they headed toward Interstate 275.
As the vehicles reached the highway, they split paths; one continued southbound on I-275 while the other veered off. The vehicle on the highway exited in the downtown area, where the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) attempted to intervene with a traffic stop at the intersection of Nebraska Avenue and Palm Avenue. Unfortunately, this effort did not succeed.
In a further attempt to halt the speeding car, FHP employed a PIT maneuver, but this too was unsuccessful, according to Chief Bercaw. The pursuit continued as the vehicle raced into Ybor City.
During a brief press conference, Sergeant Steve Gaskins provided additional insights, explaining that troopers eventually disengaged from the pursuit once it entered the bustling district of Ybor City. The decision was made in light of the rapidly unfolding circumstances and the safety concerns inherent in such situations.
The car sped down 7th Avenue and crashed near the gay 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.
