DUI Crackdown Set By Hillsborough County Deputies

TAMPA, FL — Motorists in the Tampa Bay area with big Gasparilla weekend party plans might want to think twice before getting behind the wheel impaired. They’ll also want to make extra sure their seat belts are on and their kids are safely secured in their seats.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has announced plans for a DUI saturation operation on Saturday, Jan. 28. Between the hours of 8 p.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday, deputies and troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol intend to target roads in northwest Hillsborough County, an email from the sheriff's office said.

Officers from both agencies will conduct the DUI saturation patrol while also “targeting motorists in violation of the Florida seat belt and child safety seat laws,” the email said.

The sheriff’s office plans to set up its mobile breath alcohol testing vehicle, or BAT Mobile, at 8411 N. Dale Mabry Highway. The agency hasn’t said exactly what roads will be targeted during the operation, but did say the effort will concentrate on the northwestern part of the county.

Saturday is also the date for Tampa’s Gasparilla Pirate Fest. About 300,000 people are expected to converge on the downtown and Bayshore Boulevard areas to watch as pirates invade the city. For more details about the festivities, check out this related story, 2017 Gasparilla Parade Of Pirates: What To Know Before You Go. And, if you do go, remember to designate a driver if the rum flows too freely!

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