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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A woman who was injured in a violent crash in Ybor City last year has filed a lawsuit against the driver, the City of Tampa, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the owner of the bar she was at when the crash occurred.
In the early morning hours of Nov. 8, 2025, now 23-year-old Silas Sampson plowed through a crowd of people outside Bradley’s on 7th in Ybor City while fleeing from police.
Four people were killed in the crash, and many more were injured. Sampson’s felony case is currently moving through the Hillsborough County court system.
In the complaint, Kilani England said she suffered “severe and permanent bodily injuries, including fractures requiring surgical intervention, permanent impairment, disability, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses, and other damages.”
England is seeking over $50,000 in damages.
England’s complaint accuses Sampson of negligence in the operation of his vehicle leading up to the crash, including:
Operating a vehicle while impaired
Operating a vehicle with a BAC of approximately 0.120
Fleeing law enforcement in a high-speed pursuit
Operating a vehicle in an erratic, reckless, aggressive, and dangerous manner
Traveling at excessive speeds through a densely populated pedestrian area
Failing to maintain control
Failing to operate the vehicle in a reasonably prudent manner
Otherwise acting negligently and carelessly
The complaint said that the listed conduct created a substantial risk of death or serious injury to others.
England accuses the City of Tampa and the Florida Highway Patrol of negligence in conducting a high-speed pursuit of Sampson in the moments leading up to the crash. One of her main arguments is that the risks to the public outweighed the benefit of pursuing him.
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She claimed that the officers who pursued Sampson, acting as agents of the City and of FHP, breached their duties in multiple ways:
Initiating and/or continuing a high-speed pursuit through a populated pedestrian and commercial area when the risks outweighed law enforcement benefits
Failing to terminate the pursuit in a manner consistent with law enforcement policies, general orders, and applicable law
Failing to maintain a proper lookout and keep vehicles under proper control
Failing to take reasonable steps to warn or protect pedestrians
Failing to coordinate to ensure public safety during the pursuit
Otherwise operating their vehicles and conducting the pursuit in a negligent and careless manner
The final count of the lawsuit accuses D. Bradley Enterprises, L.L.C., which owns Bradley’s On 7th, of failing to maintain a safe environment for patrons, knowing there was a risk of vehicles driving off the road and into the patio and outdoor seating area.
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England claims that the bar had a duty to implement reasonable safety measures like protective barriers. The lawsuit said the only safeguards were retractable belt stanchion barriers, which were inadequate in protecting against a vehicle.
The City of Tampa and the Florida Highway Patrol said they would not comment on pending litigation. 8 On Your Side reached out to Bradley’s On 7th ownership but have not yet received a response.