A 25-year-old Ruskin man died earlier this morning after his Toyota Camry left State Road 56 and tore through the parking lot of the Buffalo Wild Wings near Cypress Ridge Boulevard in Pasco County. According to troopers, the car struck a Florida Department of Transportation information sign and overturned after leaving the pavement. First responders pronounced the driver dead at the scene.
What troopers say happened
As reported by the Tampa Free Press, the Florida Highway Patrol said the crash happened around 1:20 a.m. while the Camry was heading westbound on SR‑56, approaching Cypress Ridge Boulevard. Troopers told the outlet the vehicle drifted onto the shoulder, hit a ditch and then continued at speed through the restaurant lot before slamming into the FDOT sign and overturning. Officials have not released the driver's name as the investigation continues.
Where the crash happened
The wreck occurred at the Buffalo Wild Wings along State Road 56, a busy retail stretch east of Cypress Ridge that has seen rapid growth in recent years. Business and mapping listings, including MapQuest, place the restaurant at 26725 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel, near a Gate gas station and a cluster of shopping plazas. The area typically draws heavy evening and weekend traffic from nearby neighborhoods and commercial centers.
SR‑56's safety record
State Road 56 has been the scene of other serious crashes in recent years, including a multi-vehicle wreck in 2024 that killed two people, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay. That deadly pileup highlighted ongoing safety concerns along the corridor. Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol are leading the inquiry into Friday's crash and will issue a formal report once their on-scene work is complete, the Tampa Free Press noted.
