Driver gets out to help dog, and both are killed by passing SUV, Florida cops say

An act of kindness got a Florida driver killed when she was struck while trying to help an injured dog, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The dog also died in the 10:30 p.m. incident on Thursday, March 13, in Tampa, authorities said.

“After spotting a dog on Dale Mabry Highway ... a 25-year-old Tampa woman stopped her Kia Optima and exited to render aid to the animal,” Sgt. Steve Gaskins said in a news release. “As the woman approached the dog, a 69-year-old Tampa man driving a Toyota RAV4 struck both the dog and the woman. The woman and dog both suffered fatal injuries at the scene.”

The woman’s identity and details of her injuries were not released.

She stopped to help the dog after “leaving her birthday dinner,” WFLA reported.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, officials said. The site where it happened is six lanes wide, well-lit and heavily commercial, maps show.

This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 11:18 AM with the headline "Driver gets out to help dog, and both are killed by passing SUV, Florida cops say."