County DUI incidents revealed

After Siesta Key resident Donna Chen was killed by an allegedly drunken driver while jogging on Midnight Pass Road in early January, a debate has been sparked as to whether alcoholic beverages should be allowed on the beaches. Some members of the public are pushing for a countywide ban. Chen’s brother, Roy McPhail, along with family members and supporters, including former Sarasota County Commissioner David Mills, has started gathering signatures on a petition to show support of the proposed ban.

To provide a better look at drunken driving incidents in the county, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Department has provided an overview of all DUI-related charges in Sarasota County and in Siesta Key from September to March 11. The provided numbers include all agencies and show the number of charges, as opposed to persons arrested, because one person may be charged with more than one DUI.

On Siesta Key, the Sheriff’s Office report shows a low of five DUI incidents in both November and December, and a high of 17 in January. According to the results, between September and March, Siesta Key averaged 10 DUI-related incidents per month.

Click here to view DUI related incidents.