HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — As most people across Hillsborough County were celebrating Labor Day with family or out on the water, nearly 80 people were arrested for driving under the influence, local authorities say.
As part of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's "Operation Summer's End," 77 people were arrested for DUI over the Labor Day weekend, the agency said in a news release.
HCSO teamed up with the Tampa Police Department, the University of South Florida Police and the Florida Highway Patrol to make the high number of arrests.
"Every impaired driver and boater arrested represents a potential life saved. When you choose to operate a vehicle, whether it's a car or a boat, under the influence of alcohol, you're not only risking your own life but the lives of everyone around you," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. "Driving or boating under the influence is not just a reckless choice; it's a potentially deadly one that we will not tolerate."
In total, all participating agencies performed 885 traffic stops and gave 131 citations and 706 warnings.
The sheriff's office also arrested a person for boating under the influence while making 74 vessel stops. The agencies made 22 other arrests over the holiday weekend but not for reasons relating to DUI.
