TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies conducted hundreds of traffic stops and arrested more than 30 people as part of a holiday weekend effort to crack down on drunk driving and boating.
The sheriff's office said that deputies stopped 396 vehicles, which resulted in 33 citations and 363 warnings issued. Deputies arrested 32 people for driving under the influence during those stops.
"It is disheartening to see that 32 individuals made the reckless decision to drive under the influence without considering the potentially devastating consequences," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.
The nationally recognized "100 Deadly Days of Summer," or the deadliest 100 days for teenage drivers according to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, includes the second deadliest holiday for drunk driving collisions: Independence Day.
The Hillsborough Marine Unit also conducted 99 boating vessel stops. This resulted in four citations and 90 warnings. Deputies arrested one person for boating under the influence.
"It's alarming to see so many taking these risks when safe options, like planning ahead or having a designated driver, are always available," Chronister said. "Every DUI and BUI arrest means a potentially life saved."
Last year, the area sheriff's offices conducted a similar Fourth of July DUI enforcement initiative. The 2023 operation in Hillsborough County resulted in 204 traffic stops, including 14 citations and 38 DUI arrests. It also saw 88 boat vessel stops, with eight marine citations and three BUI arrests.
The agency announced the HCSO DUI Enforcement Squad in 2019, which has 20 deputies and two supervisors, to combat impaired driving, according to its Facebook page.
