PORT CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office reported 25 arrests related to allegations of drunk driving over the recent holiday season.
That was the number of DUI arrests reported between Dec. 20, 2023 and Jan. 3, 2024 — compared to 19 arrests between Dec. 23, 2022 and Jan. 2, 2023.
CCSO Public Information Officer Christopher Hall stressed that various options existed for those expecting to consume alcohol to travel safely afterward, including ride-sharing apps, designated drivers, or towing services such as AAA.
“There is no excuse for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs…If we see you driving impaired, you will be arrested – period,” Hall said in the email. “We know all-too-well the pain of loss due to this issue, and we will do whatever we can to prevent someone else from suffering that.”
In 2022, CCSO Deputy Christopher Taylor was killed in a car crash on Interstate 75 while conducting a traffic stop.
The woman driving the car that caused the crash, Cassandra Diane Smith, was convicted in December on charges of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 1.