Tampa police crash: Cruiser overturns after colliding with a HART bus

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Published October 24, 2026 2:23 PM EDT

The Brief

    • A Tampa police cruiser overturned Saturday morning during a three-vehicle collision along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
    • Four people went to hospitals for medical care, including a veteran officer suffering from a head cut.
    • HART bus riders and a car driver escaped major injury after the impact at North 34th Street.

TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa police cruiser overturned Saturday morning after colliding with a transit bus and a car at an East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard intersection, sending an officer and two bus riders to the hospital, according to the Tampa Police Department. 

Crash flips Tampa cruiser

What we know:

Police say the wreck happened around 9 a.m. on Saturday at North 34th Street and East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Officials say a police patrol vehicle was traveling eastbound on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard while a Hillsborough Area Regional Transit bus headed south on North 34th Street.

According to police, a 2017 white Dodge Charger sat parked in the northbound lanes of North 34th Street as the other two vehicles entered the intersection. All three crashed, causing the police car to flip onto its roof, according to officials. 

Officer and passengers hurt

Dig deeper:

TPD stated the patrol officer, a 12-year veteran of the police force, was the only person inside the cruiser. Officials said the officer was taken to the hospital for a head cut.

According to police, medical crews also transported two adult bus passengers to a nearby hospital for precautionary evaluations. The man driving the Dodge Charger suffered a minor leg injury and police say he received medical clearance at the scene.

Chief issues statement

What they're saying:

 "Our immediate thoughts are with all those who were involved in this morning's collision," said Acting Chief Brett Owen. "We are thankful that initial reports indicate no critical injuries, and we wish everyone a swift recovery."

Detectives examine crash scene

What we don't know:

Investigators have not released who held the right of way or what caused the vehicles to collide.

Traffic detectives remain at the crossing collecting physical evidence, and police noted that additional findings will follow as the probe continues.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Tampa Police Department statements, which detailed officer reports and preliminary traffic crash findings from the scene.

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