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Dashcam Shows Suspected Drunk Driver Plow Through IRONMAN Jacksonville Course

The publicly released footage could prompt a review of race barricades, security measures, enforcement of repeat DUI cases.

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An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Police chase suspected drunk driver Darrell Simon as he drives into the race course at IRONMAN Jacksonville on May 16, 2026, Image 2 shows Valerio raced up to Simon's car and performed a PIT maneuver, wiping out the wanted car as multiple officers rushed to the vehicle and trained their weapons on the driver

Overview

  • Video released June 10 by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shows a vehicle enter and drive through the active IRONMAN Jacksonville bike and run courses on May 16, narrowly missing athletes.
  • Officer Ernesto Valerio pursued the car through blocked streets and ended the chase with a PIT maneuver at Riverside Park Place and Park Street while other officers moved in to arrest the driver.
  • Dashcam audio captures officers shouting warnings, including the line “We’ve got to stop him. He’s going to kill someone,” and shows Officer Aaron Sanchez attempting to block the vehicle with his motorcycle before the driver sped around him.
  • The driver was identified as 62-year-old Darrell Simon and faces eight felony counts plus nearly a dozen misdemeanors and violations; authorities say no athletes or spectators were injured.
  • Investigators and race organizers are reviewing how the vehicle bypassed course barricades and the suspect’s third DUI arrest in a decade could prompt policy and enforcement changes for large events.