JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 62-year-old driver who was caught on camera barreling through the Ironman Jacksonville race last month pleaded not guilty in court Thursday to felony DUI and five other criminal charges.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shared dash cam video earlier this month of Darrell Simon narrowly missing athletes during a chaotic chase through Riverside before police used a PIT maneuver to end the pursuit near Five Points.
Simon was initially booked on eight felony charges and nearly a dozen misdemeanors and violations, but several charges were dropped.
Simon is now facing a total of six felony charges, including driving on a suspended or revoked license, resisting an officer without violence and the felony DUI charge. Court records show this was Simon’s third DUI arrest in the past decade.
In addition to the criminal charges, Simon faces three traffic citations: driving on the wrong side of a divided highway, failing to yield and speeding.
No Ironman athletes were hurt during the May 16 chase, even though Simon narrowly missed hitting several, but police say he could have easily killed someone.
Simon was ordered to return to court on July 28. As a habitual felony offender, Simon could face as much as 7 years in prison if convicted.
Dash cam video
JSO said the incident unfolded on May 16 as Officer Ernesto Valerio was blocking traffic to allow Ironman athletes to complete their 26.2-mile run. Valerio heard over the radio that a driver, later identified as Simon, was traveling through both the bike and run courses.
The video showed Valerio catching up to the vehicle and attempting to pull the driver over multiple times. Dash cam footage captured several moments where the driver came dangerously close to striking athletes on the course.
See the video below:
The footage also showed another officer, who JSO identified as Aaron Sanchez, risking his life, positioning his motorcycle in an attempt to stop the vehicle. But Simon drove around the officer and sped off.
Before he made the next move, Valerio could be heard saying, “We got to stop this guy. He’s going to kill someone.”
Valerio ultimately brought the chase to an end using a PIT maneuver at the intersection of Riverside Park Place and Park Street.
Other nearby officers helped take Simon into custody.