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| Photo provided to iSkyNews.com by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) |
By Staff Reporter
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published May 8th, 2026
Tragic Chain Reaction: Overnight Crashes on SR-400 Lead to Fatality After Vehicle Strikes Pedestrian
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A series of chaotic collisions on SR-400 late Thursday night and early Friday morning resulted in a tragic fatality after a passenger, already injured from a secondary crash, was struck and killed by a passing vehicle.
The incident began just after 11:00 PM on May 7, near the I-75 interchange, and spanned several hours as investigators worked a scene that only grew more dangerous as the night progressed.
Initial Collision: Tractor-Trailer Overturns
The first incident occurred at 11:05 PM when a 19-year-old Lakeland woman driving a Kia Sorento lost control while traveling westbound. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the Kia veered from the inside lane into the center lane, where it was struck by a tractor-trailer hauling food items.
The impact sent both vehicles into the center median, causing the tractor-trailer, driven by a 53-year-old Wesley Chapel man, to overturn. Miraculously, neither driver was injured in this initial wreck.
Secondary Crash: Walsh Truck Propelled into RV Dealership
As FHP troopers and FDOT-contracted Walsh trucks blocked off the inside lane to investigate the first crash, the scene turned even more hazardous. At 2:15 AM, a Toyota Corolla driven by a 23-year-old Tampa man slammed into a parked Walsh truck.
The force of the collision was so intense that it propelled the heavy truck off the roadway and into the adjacent Lazy Days RV dealership, where it crashed into two parked RVs.
Fatal Final Impact
Following the impact with the Walsh truck, the Toyota Corolla came to a stop in the middle of the roadway. A 23-year-old passenger from Tampa exited the vehicle, suffering from injuries sustained in the crash, and was lying in the road.
A short time later, a Hyundai Santa Cruz, driven by a 73-year-old Riverview man, struck the injured passenger. FHP confirmed the young man suffered fatal injuries and passed away at the scene.
The investigation into the chain of events is ongoing. FHP has provided photos of the wreckage to iSkyNews.com, showing the extensive damage to the vehicles and the impact site at the RV dealership.
Photos provided to iSkyNews.com by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)
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