Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) are investigating a crash that claimed the life of a 5-year-old.
The incident occurred on Thursday, February 23, 2023, at approximately 3:29 p.m. when a 2007 Nissan Titan was traveling westbound on East MLK Jr. Boulevard.
The driver of the truck made a right turn onto northbound North 56th Street. As the driver completed the right turn, an unrestrained five-year-old child in the rear left passenger seat opened the rear left door and fell out of the vehicle onto North 56th Street.
The father of the child, the front right passenger, alerted the driver, who immediately stopped the vehicle, which was atop the child’s legs. The driver then drove the vehicle off the child, and the father took the child and re-entered the vehicle. The driver and the father, who are cousins, attempted to drive to an area hospital and found a Tampa Police Officer on North 50th Street at East 23rd Avenue. They flagged down the Officer and requested assistance.
Transported to an area hospital, the child later died from injuries suffered during the incident. Two other young children were in the vehicle at the time of the incident, and the driver’s children were restrained in car seats and not injured.