Seven Arrested After Illegal Car Meet Disrupts Jacksonville Streets

Seven people faced arrest and 17 traffic citations were issued following an unpermitted car meet that drew approximately 75 vehicles to a Blanding Boulevard parking lot, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

The gathering resulted in dangerous driving that spilled from the parking area onto nearby streets, WJXT reported. Law enforcement responded to the scene to manage the influx of vehicles and address the illegal racing activity.

The operation led to the seizure of three vehicles and a motorcycle. Authorities also issued citations to two spectators, as Florida law prohibits attending illegal street races, drag races, or street takeovers, which carries a $400 fine.

Ruben Martinez, 41, was among those taken into custody. According to an arrest report, Martinez faced charges of driving under the influence, possessing 20 grams or less of marijuana, having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, and attending a highway racing event as a spectator.

An officer involved in the operation observed Martinez pouring beer from a bottle and picking up two more beers before driving a Toyota Corolla toward the exit of the lot shortly after midnight on Nov. 8, WJXT reported.

The officer stopped the vehicle at a RaceTrac parking lot and said that Martinez had bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech, and the odor of alcohol on his breath. Martinez told the officer he had consumed alcohol that night and had smoked marijuana a few hours earlier.

While Martinez agreed to perform field sobriety exercises, he performed poorly, the report said. Following his arrest, officers located a small bag of marijuana in his pocket and found an open, partially consumed Corona bottle under the driver’s seat and a partially consumed bottle of Smirnoff Ice vodka near the front passenger seat.

In addition to Martinez, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office identified several other individuals arrested during the operation:

Jakata Phillips, 41
Julian Rodriguez, 20
Hector Munoz Jr., 22
Kyle Zubulidis, 29
Manuel Betancourt, 30
Nizar Al Darwish, 21

The crackdown on street racing and unauthorized gatherings comes as regional law enforcement continues to monitor high-traffic corridors. In Northeast Florida, authorities recorded over 350 super speeder stops during the first year of the law’s implementation.