On the night of Friday into early Saturday, in the bustling heart of Ybor City, four people who had simply gone out to enjoy themselves never made it home. This wasn’t a case of recklessness on their part—it was a deadly intersection of high-speed pursuit, a driver’s loss of control, and an innocent crowd paying the ultimate price.
It all began when a 22-year-old driver, Silas Sampson, was spotted racing near 22nd Street and Hillsborough Avenue. From there, his reckless ride spilled onto Interstate 275, drawing the attention of the Tampa Police Department’s air unit. The chase wove through the city, eventually exiting at Doyle Carlton Drive, then tracked by both TPD and the Florida Highway Patrol to Palm Avenue and Nebraska Avenue. As officers attempted a PIT maneuver to halt the escape, the young driver somehow kept control and pushed on.
The scene shifted dramatically when Sampson turned east onto 7th Avenue—right into the dense nightlife of Ybor. At around 12:40 a.m., his vehicle smashed into the outdoor patio of Bradley’s on 7th (1510 E. 7th Ave), where some fifteen adults had gathered. Three of them died at the scene; a fourth succumbed to injuries later in hospital.
Of the other eleven injured, one remains in critical condition, eight are listed as stable, and two declined treatment. Every victim was an adult—out that night, enjoying what they thought would be an ordinary weekend.
Sampson was promptly arrested at the scene and now faces vehicular homicide charges, with other felony counts expected as the investigation by FHP—with support from TPD—continues. In a press statement the police described what happened as a “senseless tragedy” and extended their condolences to families and friends of the victims.
In the aftermath, the gulf of pain has opened wide. Families, friends and the wider Tampa night-out community are grappling with the shock: what should have been a fun night turned into a nightmare. Investigators are examining every turn of the pursuit, the decision to attempt the maneuver in a crowded downtown area, and how the driver ended up inside a patio populated by people.
And now, as the investigation digs deeper, scrutiny will fall on enforcement and pursuit protocols in and around nightlife districts, the decision-making of law enforcement in high-risk chases, and the tragic cost when the throttle stays open too long and lives are forever changed.
