TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – A high-speed chase involving a Florida Highway Patrol trooper ended in tragedy late Thursday night when a vehicle crashed into a crowded Tampa bar, killing four people and injuring eleven others. The driver, identified as Robert Sampson, faces multiple felony charges including vehicular homicide and aggravated fleeing and eluding.
The crash has reignited debate over the safety of high-speed police pursuits, particularly as some jurisdictions loosen restrictions on chase tactics. Florida’s highway patrol recently eased limits on car chases and the use of PIT maneuvers, despite concerns raised by a 2023 U.S. Department of Justice-funded study that deemed such maneuvers “high-risk” and advocated for chases to be reserved for the most serious offenses. This incident underscores the potential for devastating consequences when pursuits escalate, impacting not only those involved in the chase but also innocent bystanders.
According to court documents, Sampson was charged with four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing or eluding with serious bodily injury or death, all first-degree felonies. Authorities have not yet released details regarding a potential motive or the initial reason for the pursuit.
The crash occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 68, a popular local gathering spot. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a former Tampa police chief, expressed the city’s grief, stating on social media, “Our entire city feels this loss.” The investigation remains ongoing.
Eleven individuals were transported to local hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to critical. The identities of the four victims killed have not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
The incident comes as a national conversation continues regarding police pursuit policies. A 2023 study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice recommended that chases be “rare,” arguing that the risks often outweigh the benefits of immediate apprehension. The study highlighted the dangers of high-speed chases and the potential for harm to both officers, suspects, and the public.
Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.