Tampa, FL (October 31, 2026) – A backseat passenger died and two other people were hospitalized after a hit-and-run crash on Halloween night, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Police said the driver of a Chevy Avalanche fled from a traffic stop at about 11:15 p.m. at East 28th Avenue and North 13th Street. Officers did not follow the driver.
The driver continued eastbound on East 28th Avenue and hit two unoccupied vehicles, according to police. The driver then ran a stop sign and hit a third vehicle, a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder with three adults inside. The impact sent the Pathfinder into a pole.
Two of the three people in the Pathfinder were taken to a hospital. Police said their injuries were not life-threatening and their conditions were last listed as stable. The passenger in the back seat died from injuries in the crash.
Police said the Avalanche driver got out and ran from the scene. Detectives are working to identify the driver and are asking anyone with information to contact them and reference case number 26-641095.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Hit-and-Run Claims After a Fatal Crash in Florida
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported 97,519 hit-and-run crashes in the state in 2024. Its preliminary 2023 data showed 219 of the 271 deaths in hit-and-run crashes happened at dawn, dusk, or in low light. A driver who flees leaves a family without an obvious defendant, but the claim does not end there.
Uninsured motorist coverage on policies tied to the people in the Pathfinder may apply even if the driver is never found. After a death, Florida law lets the estate’s personal representative bring a wrongful death claim for the survivors. Florida’s no-fault law also generally requires initial medical care within 14 days of the crash (Fla. Stat. § 627.736).
- First steps: Ask Tampa police for the crash report (case 26-641095), ask that the Pathfinder not be salvaged, and route insurance calls to one person. Video from nearby homes and businesses can be overwritten quickly, so ask for it early.
- Who may be liable: The Avalanche driver once police identify them, and potentially the owner or insurer of that vehicle.
- Deadline: Florida generally allows two years for injury and wrongful death claims (Fla. Stat. § 95.11). The safest date to calendar is October 31, 2028.
How Berke Law Firm Helps After a Hit-and-Run Crash in Tampa
Berke Law Firm serves Hillsborough County families as their Tampa personal injury lawyer. We take the adjuster calls, the paperwork, and the evidence gathering off a grieving family’s plate. We look into what happened, identify every insurance policy that may apply, and pursue the claim while the family focuses on each other.
What Hillsborough County families get with Berke Law Firm after a fatal hit-and-run crash:
- 35+ years representing injured people, practicing since 1986
- Represents injured people only, never insurance companies or employers
- $6.46 million settlement for a client left quadriplegic
- $2.1 million jury verdict for a child with a brain injury
- Free consultation
- No attorney fees unless we win
We serve Tampa families from our Cape Coral office, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. The address is 4423 Del Prado Blvd, Cape Coral, FL 33904. Call 239-475-5028, visit us, or send the details through our contact form.