Hillsborough County authorities conducted a significant multi-agency crackdown on drunk driving over the Fourth of July weekend.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office coordinated a collaborative enforcement blitz with the Tampa Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol, and the University of South Florida Police Department, which blanketed the county with patrols.
During the holiday weekend, cops made 263 traffic stops, giving 235 warnings and 28 penalties. The increased effort yielded in 37 DUI charges on land, but marine units reported no Boating Under the Influence (BUI) arrests despite pulling up 74 boats.
“Every impaired driver we took off the road this weekend was at least one life potentially saved,” Sheriff Chad Chronister stated after the operation. “This joint operation with our local law enforcement partners should be a warning that the impaired operation of any vehicle or vessel, on land or water, will not be tolerated in Hillsborough County.”
The weekend’s most chaotic occurrence happened early Monday morning, July 6, 2026, when a routine traffic stop took an unexpected turn. Just before 4 a.m., a sheriff’s officer stopped a Nissan Rogue near North Dale Mabry Highway and Medical Drive because it was driving in the dark without headlights.
As the vehicle came to a halt, the deputy observed the driver, 28-year-old Keinier Contreras Villa, and his passenger, 55-year-old Antonia Evangelista, scrambling to transfer seats inside the cabin. During the mid-car shuffle, the suspects failed to secure the vehicle, leading the Nissan Rogue to roll backward into the deputy’s parked patrol car. Law enforcement officers confirmed that no one was hurt in the minor crash.
The investigation quickly resulted in reservations for both occupants. Contreras Villa is facing a number of allegations, including driving under the influence, possession of cocaine, resisting an officer without violence, and operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license.
Evangelista was also arrested on allegations of driving under the influence (second conviction) and refusing to submit to testing.
Following the holiday weekend totals, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office underlined that its DUI enforcement teams are available year round. Local officials continue to urge drivers to plan their trips ahead of time, either by selecting a designated driver or via ridesharing services.
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