A 62-year-old man was arrested in Florida after he barreled through the IRONMAN Jacksonville course with his car during the race, with the entire chase captured on an officer’s dash cam. Despite the driving leading multiple officers throughout Jacksonville‘s Riverside neighborhood, nobody was injured.
The chase occurred back on Saturday, May 16th, when Officer Ernesto Valerio with the Specialized Traffic Unit heard on the radio that there was an individual driving through the bike and run courses, putting both athletes’ and spectators’ lives at risk. Valerio was blocking traffic at the time to ensure athletes would be able to complete their 26.2-mile run.
Valerio caught up to the car and tried several times to pull the driver over, with his dash cam filming several moments where the individual drove the the race course and nearly hit athletes. Motor Unit Officer Aaron Sanchez put his own life in danger, attempting to stop the vehicle with his motorcycle.
Finally Valerio was able to stop the car using a PIT maneuver at the intersection of Riverside Park Place and Park Street, and nearby officers assisted in the arrest. Darrell Simon, the driver, was taken into custody and arrested on eight felony charges and nearly a dozen misdemeanors and violations. This was his third D.U.I. arrest in 10 years.
A full IRONMAN race features a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. Road closures depend on the specific event, but the IRONMAN Jacksonville race does close some. Police officers stop and release traffic as needed, but residents and businesses are allowed through to reach their destinations.
Huge props to all of the officers who risked the health and safety to stop the driver, protecting both athletes and spectators from what easily could have been a serious tragedy.
