At approximately 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, 2026, emergency crews responded to a reported water rescue involving a submerged vehicle on Bryan Dairy Road in front of the STAR Center, just west of Belcher Road.
According to investigators, a Chevy Silverado driven by an 85-year-old Tarpon Springs man was traveling westbound on Bryan Dairy Road when, for unknown reasons, the driver lost control. The vehicle rotated, departed the roadway, and entered an adjacent retention pond.
Firefighters from Seminole Fire Rescue, Pinellas Park Fire Department, and Largo Fire Rescue arrived to find multiple Good Samaritans already in the water assisting the driver, who had been removed from the submerged vehicle.
With assistance from Good Samaritans and first responders, the driver was brought to land, where fire medics immediately began lifesaving efforts. CPR was performed at the scene before Sunstar Paramedics transported the victim to HCA Florida Northside Hospital. He was later pronounced deceased.
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A heavy-duty rotator tow truck assisted with vehicle recovery, while the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team secured the vehicle so it could be removed from the water.
The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.