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A man from Dade City, Florida, has been charged with eight felonies following a tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of four individuals in Ybor early Saturday morning, according to the Tampa Police Department.
According to Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw, the sequence of events began around 12:40 a.m. when police air units identified two vehicles racing westward on Hillsborough Avenue, approaching Interstate 275.
Upon reaching the interstate, one of the vehicles veered off, while the other continued southward on I-275. This latter vehicle exited into the downtown area, where the Florida Highway Patrol made an unsuccessful attempt to conduct a traffic stop.
Chief Bercaw noted that the FHP tried to execute a PIT maneuver but was unable to bring the speeding car to a halt.
During a brief press conference, Sergeant Steve Gaskins explained that the troopers ceased their pursuit after the vehicle entered Ybor City.
The car sped down 7th Avenue and crashed near a 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.
