Alcohol Suspected In Crash That Killed Tampa Man

TAMPA, FL — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Friday morning collision that left a 28-year-old Tampa man dead and two others injured.

According to the agency, Derrick Upshur, 33, was driving a Ford F-150 south on Himes Avenue around 6:14 a.m. March 17. As Upshur approached the intersection with West Waters Avenue, deputies say Jose Mastrapa, 28, was heading east in the right lane of Waters Avenue in a Mustang. At that time, Bahram Sarabi, 42, was headed north on Himes in a Nissan, but was stopped for the red light at Waters Avenue.

“Upshur was operating his vehicle in excess of the posted speed limit and failed to stop for the red traffic light,” the email said. His truck went into the intersection and hit Mastrapa’s Mustang. The Mustang was pushed in a southeast direction and hit a utility pole, the email said.

Upshur’s truck continued and hit the Nissan Sentra Sarabi was driving, the email said.

Mastrapa died at the scene. Both Upshur and Sarabi were taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

“Alcohol is suspect and charges are pending,” the sheriff’s office wrote Friday afternoon.

Further information is not yet available.

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