TAMPA, Fla. – A devastating series of events on Interstate 275 left one person dead and another hospitalized after a wrong-way driver triggered a chaotic four-vehicle pileup north of Busch Boulevard.
The incident began earlier in the night when a Chevy Silverado, driven by a 21-year-old Tampa man, was involved in a hit-and-run crash along Fowler Avenue, an incident initially investigated by the Tampa Police Department. Following that initial collision, the truck entered the northbound lanes of I-275, traveling southbound against traffic.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the truck was involved in a second hit-and-run crash just south of Fowler Avenue while heading the wrong way.
The situation turned fatal just north of Busch Boulevard. Still traveling in the wrong direction, the Chevy Silverado slammed nearly head-on into a northbound Toyota Corolla driven by a 24-year-old Tampa man. The impact was violent enough to overturn both vehicles, causing the Silverado to burst into flames.
Fatal Hillsborough County Wrong Way Driver Crash I-275
— Tampa Free Press (@tampafreepress) May 30, 2026
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The 24-year-old driver of the Corolla sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.
As the Corolla flipped, it struck a northbound Toyota Camry driven by a 26-year-old man from Wesley Chapel. That impact caused the Camry to spin out and collide with a second northbound Toyota Camry, which was operated by a 38-year-old Tampa man.
The drivers of both Camrys escaped the pileup without injuries.
The 21-year-old driver of the Silverado survived the crash with serious injuries. First responders transported him to a local hospital, and state troopers confirmed that criminal charges are currently pending against him.
The Florida Highway Patrol is actively investigating the timeline of the crashes. Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or stopped to assist at the scene to contact them by dialing *FHP (*347).
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