On February 26, 2023, at 2:45 a.m., 29-year-old Alexander John Hoffman of Land o Lakes was operating a Ford sedan northbound on I-275 near Milepost 36.
Two other vehicles, a Chevrolet SUV and a Ford SUV, were traveling northbound ahead of the Ford sedan. Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) say that Hoffman was traveling at a high speed when his car collided with the rear of the Chevy SUV.
The Chevy SUV rotated and collided with the outside barrier wall before erupting in flames. The driver of the Chevy, a 33-year-old male from Tampa escaped serious injuries. The passenger, a 41-year-old male from Tampa, died at the scene.
Hoffman’s sedan rotated across the travel lanes and collided with the Ford SUV. Neither the 46-year-old male driver nor the 45-year-old female in the Ford SUV from Tampa was not injured in the crash.
FHP Troopers later arrested Hoffman for DUI, DUI Property Damage, DUI Manslaughter, and Vehicular Homicide.
All lanes of the Howard Frankland Bridge were reopened at 8:45 AM.