Watch: Fla. Officer Uses PIT Maneuver to Stop Drunk Driver Plowing Through Ironman Course

Dashcam footage shows a Jacksonville sheriff’s officer executing a PIT maneuver to stop an accused drunk driver who entered an active Ironman race course and nearly struck cyclists.
June 11, 2026
2 min read
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What to know

  • A Jacksonville sheriff’s officer used a PIT maneuver to stop an accused drunk driver who drove through portions of the Ironman Jacksonville race course in May.
  • Dashcam footage showed the suspect nearly striking bicyclists while refusing repeated attempts by officers to pull him over during the event.
  • The driver was arrested on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges in what authorities said was his third DUI arrest in the past decade.

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A Florida sheriff's officer needed to use a PIT maneuver to stop an accused drunken driver who plowed through an Ironman course last month.

The incident happened May 16 as Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer Ernesto Valerio was blocking traffic for the Ironman Jacksonville 26.2-mile run in the city's Riverside neighborhood, the agency stated in a social media post that included dashboard camera footage. That's when a call came over the radio that a motorist was driving through the bike and run courses.

Valerio was able to catch up with the car, which could be seen nearly hitting competing bicyclists. Motorcycle Officer Aaron Sanchez joined Valerio, and they tried multiple times to pull over the driver—later identified as Darrell Simon—but he refused to stop.

"The dash cam shows Motor Unit Officer Aaron Sanchez putting his own life in danger, attempting to stop the car with his motorcycle," the sheriff's office stated.

Finally, Valerio was able to execute a PIT maneuver at an intersection and stop Simon. He was arrested and charged with eight felonies and nearly a dozen misdemeanors. 

It was Simon's third DUI arrest in the past 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," the sheriff's office stated.

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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