The horrific incident at a Florida strip club unfolded when Dylan Fogle, a 25-year-old man from North Carolina, allegedly plowed a semi-truck into the crowd outside the Emperors Gentleman Club in Tampa, killing one person and injuring two others. According to an arrest report, Fogle had been kicked out of the club earlier that night for inappropriate behavior towards a dancer.
Fogle was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter, and DUI with serious bodily injury. Police found him showing signs of impairment by alcohol when they arrived at the scene of the crime. Fogle admitted to driving the truck that crashed into the group but claimed it was an accident due to a stuck accelerator. Witnesses, however, suggested he might have been targeting his drinking buddy, Anthony Matelsky.
Matelsky and Fogle had been together inside the club before they were both kicked out for inappropriately touching the same dancer. Fogle allegedly admitted to driving forward upon noticing the fight but claimed he couldn’t control the vehicle. Police previously stated that Fogle appeared to have “lied in wait” for a person he was arguing with, but it is unclear whether this person was Matelsky.
The tragic event began when Fogle and Matelsky were both kicked out of the club. Video footage captured someone pushing Matelsky onto his back, after which Fogle allegedly drove the truck through the crowd, killing 44-year-old Giovanni Soto at the scene. Fogle was also hospitalized following the incident, with a blood alcohol content above the legal limit.
Fogle’s childhood friend, Angelise Ortiz, told the Tampa Bay Times that she received his final text message before the violence occurred. In it, he wrote, “Goodbye, I’m going to prison for vehicular manslaughter.” She expressed her shock at the event, saying, “I don’t believe that he planned on surviving it.
The police report indicates that Fogle was driving his own truck and had arrived in Tampa that night. His childhood friend described the trucking job as a dream come true for him. However, Fogle’s actions at the club have left those who knew him grappling with the reality of his violent act.
