Tampa, FL — March 17, 2025, Mark Frierson and Ismael Coss Jr. were killed and four others were injured in a truck accident at about 1 p.m. on North 50th Street.

Authorities said a 2015 Kenworth dump truck was headed north near East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard when the driver apparently failed to notice traffic stopped at the light. The truck swerved into another lane and crashed into a minivan before continuing into the shoulder.

The dump truck hit a man who had gotten out of a truck to place a sign in the shoulder and then crashed into three more vehicles before coming to a stop, according to authorities.

Minivan driver Mark Frierson, 60, died after being transported to a local hospital, while Ismael Coss Jr., 20, the man who had been putting out a sign for his company, died at the scene, authorities said.

Two minors who had been in the minivan and two other drivers were hospitalized after the crash with undisclosed injuries, according to authorities.

The dump truck driver, who did not exhibit any signs of impairment, was cited for careless driving resulting in death, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Crashes where a commercial truck fails to stop for traffic lights raise serious concerns about driver attention, braking distance, and whether mechanical issues played a role. In this case, reports indicate that a dump truck driver failed to notice stopped traffic, swerved and struck multiple vehicles, ultimately killing two people and injuring four others. A full investigation should determine whether this was due to driver error, improper vehicle maintenance or another contributing factor.

One of the first questions investigators should answer is why the dump truck driver did not stop in time. Was the driver distracted, fatigued or experiencing a medical emergency? Reviewing black box data, phone records and any available dashcam footage will be critical in understanding whether inattention or another issue contributed to the crash.

Another key factor is whether mechanical failure played a role. Commercial trucks require significantly more distance to stop than passenger vehicles, and if the truck’s brakes or other safety systems were not functioning properly, that could explain why the driver swerved instead of stopping. Investigators should inspect the truck’s maintenance records to determine if it had any prior brake or equipment issues.

The truck’s maneuvering before the crash should also be closely examined. Rather than rear-ending stopped vehicles, the driver attempted to swerve, striking a minivan and then a man working on the shoulder. Was the truck traveling too fast to stop safely, or was the driver caught off guard by slowing traffic? If excessive speed was a factor, investigators should analyze whether the driver was following too closely or ignoring traffic conditions.

At this stage, there isn’t enough public information to determine exactly what led to this crash. But if authorities focus only on issuing a citation without investigating why the driver failed to stop — whether due to distraction, vehicle issues or unsafe driving habits — they risk missing key details. A thorough investigation should take all possible factors into account to ensure a full understanding of what went wrong.