Silas Sampson, the driver accused in the fatal weekend crash in Ybor City, will remain in jail before his trial.
Hillsborough County Circuit Chief Judge Christopher Sabella made the ruling in downtown Tampa Thursday morning.
Authorities say Sampson, 22, was fleeing from Florida Highway Patrol after midnight on Saturday, when he veered his car into the sidewalk of Seventh Avenue at approximately 77 mph.
His vehicle plowed into pedestrians before crashing into the patio of the popular LGBTQ+ nightclub Bradley's On 7th, killing four and injuring at least 13.
According to the Office of the State Attorney, two people sustained serious injuries, including one who remains in a medically induced coma.
Sampson faces multiple charges, including four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing to elude.
The Florida Highway Patrol filed additional charges on Wednesday — three counts of reckless driving with serious bodily injury, and three counts of fleeing to elude high speed with serious bodily injury — but removed a count for each charge during the Thursday morning hearing.
Assistant state attorney Justin Diaz said there was some confusion involving another traffic crash.
A criminal affidavit says Sampson could face additional charges pending the results of a toxicology report FHP ordered at the site of the crash.
Troopers suspected Sampson was under the influence of alcohol, citing bloodshot eyes, the odor of alcohol, slurred speech and unsteadiness of the defendant's feet.
According to court records, Sampson has a prior citation for speeding. He was caught driving 99 mph in a 70 mph zone.
And, during the Thursday hearing, Sampson's public defender said he has a prior misdemeanor involving a firearm, and no felony record.
A next court date has not been set yet.
Records identified the people killed as Lisa Sherell Johnson, 41, of Auburndale; Marlon Anthony Collins, 53, of Bartow; Sherman Jones, 53, of Tampa; and Christina Maria Richards, 25, of Ohio.
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At the same time as Sampson's court hearing, the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency heard from community members calling for better safety measures in Ybor City.
The meeting was one of the first opportunities for members of the public to share their thoughts on the issue with officials.
Shirley Gadis Brookins addressed council members through tears as she introduced herself as the cousin of Sherman Jones, one of the victims of the crash.
"There was a time that no one was able to park on 7th Avenue period. If you all could just put up barricades and cruisers so that there is no way that people can just fly through the way that they do and hurt other people and their family members, it's not fair," said Gadis Brookins.
Business owners also expressed their concerns.
"Our community is hurting right now. What happened was a terrible tragedy. And it was one that should have been preventable," said Tom DeGeorge, the owner of the Crowbar, a live music venue in Ybor City.
Saturday's incident prompted calls to limit Seventh Avenue to foot traffic — at least on weekends.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor addressed the idea at a Monday news conference, citing studies that show that would make the road more dangerous.
"All of the data tells us that it's safer to have Seventh Avenue open because it prevents the congregation of individuals that are coming with no intent to patronize the establishments, restaurants or other entertainment venues," she said.
The crash has also sparked a debate over the safety of police pursuits.
In the final leg of the pursuit, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper unsuccessfully attempted a PIT maneuver, where law enforcement strikes the rear end of a suspect's vehicle in a forced stop.
Officials said that attempt happened approximately 0.4 miles before the crash.
According to court records, after the failed stop, the state trooper stopped the pursuit two-tenths of a mile from the scene of the crash.
Thomas Gleason, a retired police captain and a national pursuit safety trainer, told WUSF high-speed chases in crowded urban areas like Ybor pose many risks.
“You can be the highest trained person in the whole United States, but that person you’re chasing doesn’t have the same abilities or the same training you do,” said Gleason.
An analysis from the newspaper TC Palm showed that after Florida Highway Patrol relaxed its police chase policy nearly two years ago, FHP chase deaths tripled.
In response to questions about its policies, FHP placed the blame on Sampson.
“The driver was already operating recklessly and endangering lives before troopers engaged,” Madison Kessler, its communication director, told the Tampa Bay Times. “Our troopers followed policy, disengaged prior to when the suspect entered a crowded area, and the driver lost control on his own. This tragedy rests solely on the suspect’s reckless actions, not law enforcement.”
