DUI Wolf Pack in Pinellas County

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office uses its Wolf Pack Operation several times a year to increase the number of arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The stated mission of the Wolf Pack is to reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage associated with traffic crashes related to drunk or impaired driving.

If you were arrested for DUI in Pinellas County, act quickly to protect your rights. You only have ten (10) days after the arrest to demand a formal review hearing at the DHSMV to contest the on-the-spot administrative suspension of your driver’s license. Otherwise, that notation will remain on your driving record for seventy-five years, even if you avoid a DUI conviction.

In addition to the administrative suspension of your driver’s license, you will also have a separate criminal charge that is prosecuted in court at the Criminal Justice Center (CJC) courthouse in Clearwater.

On Thursday, September 28, 2023, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release numbered 23-124. The press release announced that deputies with the PCSO and other local police agencies in Pinellas County were scheduled to conduct a county-wide DUI Wolf Pack from 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 29, 2023, until 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 30, 2023. The operation was dedicated to the memory of Douglas Cade Jr. and Jason Rzechula. PCSO later announced that the event resulted in 38 arrests for DUI, 1 felony drug charge, 1 misdemeanor drug charge, 7 arrests for DWLSR, 4 other misdemeanor charges, 37 moving violations, and 43 non-moving violations.

In addition to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol, other agencies involved in the most recent Wolf Pack included the following:

Treasure Island Police Department
St. Petersburg Police Department
Pinellas Park Police Department
Largo Police Department
Indian Shores Police Department
Clearwater Police Department
Belleair Police Department

Attorney for DUI Wolf Pack Cases in Pinellas

For more information, contact the DUI defense attorneys for Pinellas County, FL, at Sammis Law Firm. We fight DUI cases involving a breath test, urine test, blood test, or refusal to submit to chemical testing.

Our attorneys understand the tactics used by DUI enforcement officers in Pinellas County. We can spot mistakes made by these officers that others might miss. Visit our office at 14010 Roosevelt Blvd Suite 701, Clearwater, FL 33762-3820, near the CJC Courthouse.

Call 727-210-7004.

Recent DUI Wolfpack Arrests in Pinellas in 2023

July 1, 2023

A Wolf Pack operation occurred before the July 4, 2023, holiday, from 7 p.m. on Saturday until 5 a.m. Sunday. During the operation, officers wrote 190 citations including 53 speeding tickets. As part of the operation, law enforcement agencies in Pinellas Court issued 53 criminal charges, including:

30 DUI arrests;
felony drug offenses; and
driving on a suspended or revoked driver license charges.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office conducted a “Saturation Patrol” throughout the county from Sunday through Tuesday, maintaining a “proactive profile” during the holiday weekend on highly traveled roadways.

March 25, 2023

Another Wolf Pack Operation occurred at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, 2023, and ended at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 26, 2023. In addition to making arrests, the Wolf Pack Operation in Pinellas County, FL, attempts to educate the public about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. Deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office worked in conjunction with other local agencies to conduct the DUI Wolf Pack operation in Pinellas County: The officers maintained a proactive profile over the weekend on the highly traveled roadways of Pinellas County.

The Last Pinellas Wolfpack Operation of 2022

According to the press release 22-235 on the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office website, deputies released the results of an overnight Wolf Pack operation. The press release was last updated at 7:20 a.m. on Sunday, December 18, 2022. The operation began at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 17, 2022, and ended at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 18, 2022. This operation was dedicated to the memory of Deputy Michael Magli, who was killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver on February 17, 2021, while on duty with the Patrol Operations Bureau. The operation resulted in a total of 69 charges, including:

38 arrests for driving under the influence (DUI)
6 felony drug arrests
4 misdemeanor drug arrests
3 arrests for outstanding warrants
4 arrests for driving while license suspended or revoked (DWLSR)
6 other misdemeanor arrests
5 other felony arrests
1 arrest for giving a false name to a law enforcement officer

In addition to criminal charges, law enforcement officers in Pinellas County issued the following civil citations during the latest Wolf Pack operation:

17 citations for driving while license suspended or revoked without knowledge
4 citations for no insurance
75 speeding tickets
8 citations for possession of an open container
39 non-moving violations
39 moving violations

Pinellas Wolfpack on Memorial Day of 2022

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office just issued a press release explaining the results of an overnight wolf pack operation over Memorial Day weekend from 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, 2022, until 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 29, 2022. The wolf pack operation resulted in 28 charges for DUI, a total of 36 criminal charges, and 156 total citations. The most recent DUI Wolf Pack was dedicated to the memory of 17-year-old Sophia Delott who a drunk driver killed on June 28, 2019.

Recent S.A.L.E. (Sea Air and Land Enforcement) Detail

In addition to the Wolf Pack, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office officers also participate in the S.A.L.E. (Sea Air and Land Enforcement) Detail. The last S.A.L.E. detail occurred over the Memorial Day weekend in 2022. It began at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, May 27, 2022, and ended at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 30, 2022.

The operation is focused on the enforcement of speeding, aggressive driving, and the impaired operation of vehicles and vessels throughout Pinellas County. The officers involved in the SALE Detail are members of the Patrol Operations Bureau, including the Traffic Unit, DUI Unit, Marine Unit, and Flight Unit.

During the detail, officers in the Marine Unit enforced marine laws and vessel safety inspections while looking for the impaired operation of boats and other types of water vessels. The goal of the S.A.L.E. detail is to reduce property damage, injuries, and deaths associated with crashes related to speed, aggressive driving, and the impaired operation of vehicles and vessels.

Read more about BUI arrests in Pinellas County, FL.

Additional Information

20-036 County-Wide DUI Wolf Pack – According to a recent press release from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office numbered 20-036, the County-Wide DUI Wolf Pack was announced.

This article was last updated on Saturday, September 30, 2023.