Tampa fiery crash: wrong-way driver fleeing hit-and-run causes chain-reaction crash

1 dead after wrong-way driver causes crash

One person is dead and the wrong-way driver is in the hospital after fleeing a hit-and-run and entering I-275, colliding head-on with another driver. Brief dashcam footage shows the initial head-on collision. Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol.

TAMPA, Fla. - The Florida Highway patrol released more information on the fiery I-275 crash that left one person dead and closed the roadway for hours Friday night.

Fiery crash shuts down portion of I-275

What we know:

According to FHP, a Chevy Silverado, driven by a 21-year-old Tampa man, was involved in a hit-and-run crash on Fowler Avenue that was being investigated by the Tampa Police Department.

The driver fled the first scene and entered I-275, driving southbound in the northbound lanes (wrong way).

North of Busch Boulevard, FHP said the wrong-way driver collided nearly head-on with a Toyota Corolla, driven by a 24-year-old Tampa man. Upon impact, both the Silverado and Corolla flipped over, with the Silverado catching on fire.

While the Corolla was flipping over, it crashed into a third vehicle, a Toyota Camry driven by a 26-year-old Wesley Chapel man.

The impact of that crash caused the Camry to spin out of control and crash into a second Toyota Camry.

In total, four vehicles were involved in the crash on I-275.

The driver of the Corolla was pronounced dead at the scene, while the wrong-way driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Fortunately, the drivers of both Camrys walked away uninjured.

The wrong way driver is now facing criminal charges for the crashes. 

What we don't know:

The identities of the wrong-way driver and victims have not been released.