Wrong-way, drunk drivers stopped by law enforcement over holiday weekend

Memorial Day DUI arrests

Genevieve Curtis reports

TAMPA - Busy roads, combined with impaired and wrong-way drivers, had law enforcement across the Bay Area working around the clock to keep the roads safe, resulting in dozens of arrests.

There were many potential crashes prevented this weekend. From Friday until Monday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says they stopped more than 350 cars, issued 34 citations, 333 warnings and arrested 38 people for driving under the influence.

Some of those encounters were caught on dash cam.

READ: Pinellas County man arrested for DUI after driving up to crash scene, walking through police tape: Deputies

"We try not to. We go out of our way not to be on the road a lot during the holidays," said driver Mike Weinstein.

For many drivers, staying off the roads means they avoid people driving recklessly.

HCSO dashcam shows one close call Sunday afternoon around 4:30 p.m., when deputies noticed a wrong way driver cruising down 50th Street in Tampa.

Wrong-way driver arrested in Tampa: HCSO

Dashcam video from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office captured a wrong-way driver over Memorial Day Weekend. Deputies say 58-year-old Jose Eyngonesz Castillo was charged with driving under the influence and refusal to submit to testing.

The video shows cars moving out of the way of the white SUV as it drives straight into oncoming traffic, narrowly missing cars in its path.

Deputies arrested Jose Castillo on a DUI charge.

Then on Sunday night around 9 p.m., Florida Highway Patrol said drivers on Interstate 275 northbound near the Howard Franklin Bridge started calling 911 to report an erratic driver who nearly crashed into other cars.

Riverview woman arrested for DUI in Tampa: FHP

Authorities say Leslie Strickland was arrested for DUI and fleeing to elude. A trooper was forced to crash into the side of her Tesla to get her to stop on I-275, according to officials.

Troopers said they got behind a white Tesla and saw it drifting onto the shoulder, then sideswiping a concrete barrier.

When troopers tried to pull it over, they say the driver, Leslie Strickland, accelerated from 50 to 80 miles per hour and tried to get away.

That's when troopers say they had to protect other drivers by performing a PIT maneuver to bring that vehicle to a stop.

Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

Strickland is charged with DUI and fleeing.

In response to this weekend’s arrests, Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement:

"It's never okay to drink and drive, and if you do, be assured that we will catch you, and you will face the consequences. We are here to protect our citizens and ensure everyone can enjoy the holiday responsibly and safely."

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