Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
A drunk driver plowed through the Ironman Jacksonville course in the middle of the race, and it was all captured on one of our officer’s dash cameras. Thankfully, nobody was injured as the driver led multiple officers throughout Riverside, refusing to stop.
On Saturday, May 16, Officer Ernesto Valerio with our Specialized Traffic Unit was blocking traffic so the Ironman athletes could complete their 26.2-mile run. Officer Valerio heard on the radio there was a driver who was driving through the bike and run courses, putting the athletes’ and spectators’ lives at risk. Officer Valerio caught up to the car and tried several times to pull the driver over.
Officer Valerio’s dash cam caught several different times the driver drove through the race course, nearly hitting the athletes. The dash cam shows Motor Unit Officer Aaron Sanchez putting his own life in danger, attempting to stop the car with his motorcycle.
Officer Valerio was finally able to stop the car using a PIT maneuver at the intersection of Riverside Park Place and Park Street, with other nearby officers assisting in the arrest. The driver, 62-year-old Darrell Simon, was taken into custody and arrested on eight felony charges and nearly a dozen misdemeanors and violations. This was Simon’s third D.U.I. arrest in the last 10 years.
We are incredibly proud of our officers for putting their lives on the line in this moment to protect the Ironman athletes and spectators from what could have been a tragedy.
A drunk driver plowed through the Ironman Jacksonville course in the middle of the race, and it was all captured on one of our officer’s dash cameras. Thankfully, nobody was injured as the driver led multiple officers throughout Riverside, refusing to stop.
On Saturday, May 16, Officer Ernesto Valerio with our Specialized Traffic Unit was blocking traffic so the Ironman athletes could complete their 26.2-mile run. Officer Valerio heard on the radio there was a driver who was driving through the bike and run courses, putting the athletes’ and spectators’ lives at risk. Officer Valerio caught up to the car and tried several times to pull the driver over.
Officer Valerio’s dash cam caught several different times the driver drove through the race course, nearly hitting the athletes. The dash cam shows Motor Unit Officer Aaron Sanchez putting his own life in danger, attempting to stop the car with his motorcycle.
Officer Valerio was finally able to stop the car using a PIT maneuver at the intersection of Riverside Park Place and Park Street, with other nearby officers assisting in the arrest. The driver, 62-year-old Darrell Simon, was taken into custody and arrested on eight felony charges and nearly a dozen misdemeanors and violations. This was Simon’s third D.U.I. arrest in the last 10 years.
We are incredibly proud of our officers for putting their lives on the line in this moment to protect the Ironman athletes and spectators from what could have been a tragedy.
