Hillsborough sheriff’s deputies arrest 29 on DUI charges over Easter weekend

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 29 people on drunken driving charges over the Easter weekend as part of a crackdown on impaired motorists, the agency said in a news release Monday.

The crackdown began on Friday and ended Sunday.

Deputies said one of the people arrested was driving the wrong way on Interstate 275. Breathalyzer tests showed he had a blood-alcohol count of 0.219 and 0.214, nearly three times the level at which Florida law presumes impairment.

Several of the people arrested were repeat offenders and were taken into custody on a felony charge, sheriff’s officials said.

“Driving under the influence doesn’t just put your life in danger, but it is also a blatant disregard for the safety of everyone on the road,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.

As part of the crackdown, deputies also made 244 traffic stops, issued three citations and gave 241 warnings, the sheriff’s office said.