Tampa, Florida – Four people are dead and eleven others injured after a speeding driver lost control and crashed into a business on East 7th Avenue in Ybor early Saturday morning.

According to Tampa Police, the collision occurred around 12:45 a.m. on November 8, 2025, after officers had been monitoring a vehicle driving recklessly on I-275. The driver, later identified as 22-year-old Silas Sampson, had reportedly been seen street racing earlier on Hillsborough Avenue near 22nd Street.

Police said the car exited the interstate at Doyle Carlton Drive and continued speeding through city streets. Officers and Florida Highway Patrol units located the vehicle near Palm Avenue and Nebraska Avenue, where troopers attempted a PIT maneuver that failed. The driver then accelerated eastbound on 7th Avenue, where he lost control and slammed into a business crowded with pedestrians.

Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene. A fourth died later at the hospital. One person remains in critical condition, while eight others are stable. Two victims with minor injuries declined medical treatment.

Chief Lee Bercaw called the crash “a senseless tragedy,” adding, “Our hearts are with the loved ones of the victims and all those who were impacted. Reckless driving put innocent lives in danger.”

Sampson was detained at the scene. The Florida Highway Patrol is leading the investigation, which remains active.

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