TAMPA, Fla. — Detectives with the Tampa Police Department are trying to identify a driver who left a man or woman dying in a wrecked SUV on Halloween night, after first speeding away from officers who had tried to pull the driver over.
The chain of events started at about 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. Officers tried to make a traffic stop on a 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche around the intersection of 13th Street and 28th Avenue, but the driver took off. Police said officers chose not to chase the pickup.
Heading east along East 28th Avenue, the Avalanche sideswiped or struck two parked vehicles that had no one in them. The driver then blew through a stop sign and slammed into a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder, and the force of that hit pushed the Pathfinder into a utility pole.
Instead of staying, the person behind the wheel of the Avalanche climbed out and left the scene on foot, according to the department.
Three adults were riding in the Pathfinder. The passenger seated in the back did not survive. The other two were taken to a hospital with injuries police described as not life-threatening, and both were last reported to be stable.
Police have not released the name of the person who died or a description of the driver. The department said detectives are working leads but still want help from anyone who saw the crash or knows who was driving the Avalanche.
Tips can be called in to 813-213-6130. Callers should mention case number 26-641095. The department called the case an active investigation and said more details would come out as it moves forward.
Section: More Tampa FL crime news
Filed under: Tampa FL Traffic News
