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Family records drunk driver swerving on the road on NYE
A family called 911 as a passenger recorded the car in front of them swerving in traffic on New Year's Eve. That driver was one of 26 arrested for DUI in Hillsborough County.
TAMPA, Fla. - Hillsborough County saw twice the number of DUI arrests during 2020 New Year's celebrations than in 2019.
One of those drivers was caught on video by Julia Glover, 13, and her grandmother, Linda Lejarzar.
Her mom Denise called 911 as they drove behind the vehicle for several minutes, just after 1 a.m. New Year's morning.
"They are seriously all over the place, this is insane," Denise told the dispatcher.
Even though Julia isn't old enough to drive yet, she knew something was wrong as she watched the driver swerve near Erlich and Dale Mabry.
"That could have killed anyone," Julia said. "They could have even hurt themselves."
Deputies got behind the vehicle about seven minutes after the 911 call was placed.
"We might not have been so lucky, and many people aren't," said Linda Lejarzar. "They lose their lives."
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested a man who blew twice the legal limit, one of 26 New Year's DUIs in the county.
That is up from 13 last year and 18 the year before.
"We would credit the increase in DUI arrests this year to HCSO now having more DUI deputies after creating a centralized DUI Squad this past summer," said HCSO spokesperson Crystal Clark.
DUIs in Pinellas County went from seven last year to ten this year.
"I don't understand that at all," said MADD spokesperson Linda Unfried. "And we have more options today than we ever did."
The worst that happened in this case was a broken reflector when the vehicle crossed into the median.
"You have to make plans on a safe ride home before you go out," said Unfried, whose sister was killed by a drunk driver 36 years ago.
"I pray that they get help and realize that they could have killed themselves or others," said Lejarzar. "It felt great when the police got there, I will tell you that, didn't it? It was wonderful to know the situation was over."
There were more DUI's this year in the county than in each of the last six years.
Here's how Hillsborough New Year's Eve DUI arrests stacked up compared to previous years:
26 - 2019
13 - 2018
18 - 2017
20 - 2016
19 - 2015
15 - 2014