CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. – Twenty people were arrested in Camden County on charges of driving under the influence in this past weekend, according to authorities, who said most were either coming from the Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville — or from parties where they were watching the game on TV.
By comparison, the Camden County Sheriff’s Office said, deputies there average about five DUI arrests per weekend.
Every year, the college football rivalry match brings thousands of people to Jacksonville, who enjoy the rivalry on the field as well as the tailgating parties and after-parties where alcohol is served.
Camden County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Larry Bruce says, unfortunately, some people did not drink responsibly and chose to drive back to Camden County while impaired.
“Instead of calling for a ride share or a friend to be a designated driver, they try to do it on their own, and when they do, they get themselves in trouble,” Bruce said.
News4JAX is not identifying those who were arrested as DUIs are misdemeanor offenses. One involved a woman who was arrested in Kingsland after police said they found her slumped over the wheel while her car was still running and her 4-year-old was standing inside the vehicle.
None of the drivers who were arrested were involved in crashes. Bruce says law enforcement played a key role in preventing that from happening.
“They noticed something in their driving habits that was impaired, so they pulled them over and found they were impaired drivers,” Bruce said.
While there were no DUI crashes in Camden County over the weekend, there was a fatal DUI crash just beyond the border in Charlton County. Authorities said the driver who caused the crash was drunk when he plowed into the back of another car – killing the driver in that other car.