Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
The last thing you need when you’re competing in an Ironman race is an unnecessary distraction. However, some competitors who took on a course in Jacksonville last month encountered a pretty unexpected one after a drunk driver barreled through the course.
There aren’t many trials that truly test your physical fitness quite like an Ironman race, the gauntlets that fitness sickos have been subjecting themselves to since the inaugural one (which was partially held to settle a debate about whether runners, swimmers, or cyclists are the superior athletes) was held in Hawaii in 1978.
That race featured a 2.4-mile swim, which was followed by a 112-mile bike ride and capped off by a full 26.2-mile marathon. That format still serves as the foundation for the dozens of Ironman races that are held around the world each year, including the one that went down in Jacksonville, Florida on May 16th.
That competition was marred by a couple of vehicles that managed to make their way onto a course, including the car being driven by an allegedly intoxicated man who almost drilled a cyclist while trying to evade police.
A suspected drunk driver was arrested after driving through an Ironman race in Jacksonville
The Ironman race that went down in Jacksonville featured an overhauled course that was designed with the scenery in mind. It kicked off with a 2.4-mile swim in the St. Johns River, which led to a two-loop cycling leg through the southern part of the city and a marathon that wrapped up in downtown.
Approximately 1,900 racers competed in an event where EMTs treated close to 60 people for heat-related ailments; Pedro Gomes ultimately won with a total time of 8:30:41, and Jennifer Sylva earned the “Ironwoman” crown by crossing the finish line at 9:42:14.
The new configuration featured some headaches for local businesses and residents who had to deal with traffic issues stemming from the redesigned route, and there were multiple instances where cars managed to make their way onto the course.
That includes the one driven by a man identified as 62-year-old Darrell Simon, who led police on a chase that was captured by the dashcam of Officer Ernesto Valerio as he pursued him through the bike and running courses. A couple of cyclists had to slow down to avoid a collision after the pursuit unfolded directly in their path, and dozens of other competitors got a glimpse as it sped past them.
Simon was ultimately apprehended before being hit with”eight felony charges and nearly a dozen misdemeanors and violations,” which included his third citation for driving under the influence in the past 10 years.
That wasn’t the only car-related incident to unfold, as two people were hospitalized after colliding with a vehicle. That includes one guy who was struck by a truck 50 miles into the cycling leg and decided to carry on while completing the remainder of the race covered in blood.