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Vehicle nearly strikes Florida Ironman athletes
Dashcam footage captured the chaotic moments a suspected drunk driver plowed through an active Ironman Jacksonville race course before police stopped the vehicle using a PIT maneuver.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A DUI suspect put athletes and spectators at risk Saturday, May 16, when he steered his car directly into the active Ironman Jacksonville racecourse, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say the driver led officers on a dangerous pursuit through Riverside before they forced the vehicle to a stop.
Ironman Jacksonville Pursuit
What we know:
Officer Ernesto Valerio with the Specialized Traffic Unit was blocking traffic to protect athletes completing their 26.2-mile run when radio transmissions warned of a vehicle invading the bike and running courses.
Valerio caught up to the car and attempted multiple traffic stops, but the driver refused to pull over, repeatedly coming close to striking the competitors.
Dashcam video captured the chaotic moments, which included Motor Unit Officer Aaron Sanchez trying to halt the vehicle using his police motorcycle.
In dashcam footage, a law enforcement officer can be heard saying, "We’ve got to stop him. He’s going to kill someone."
Valerio ended the pursuit by executing a PIT maneuver at the intersection of Riverside Park Place and Park Street, where surrounding officers moved in to assist with the arrest.
The driver, 62-year-old Darrell Simon, was taken into custody on eight felony charges alongside nearly a dozen misdemeanors and violations.
According to authorities, this incident marks Simon's third driving under the influence arrest within the last 10 years.
No injuries were reported.
A combination image shows a mugshot of Darrell Simon, 62, alongside dashcam video footage of a police officer responding to the suspect's vehicle during a pursuit through the Ironman Jacksonville race course on Saturday, May 16. Image is courtesy of …
Race Course Intrusions
What we don't know:
It is unclear how Simon initially bypassed the course barricades or where his journey began before entering the race route.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, which provided dashcam video and details of the pursuit, as well as responding traffic officers who detailed the arrest of the suspect.