Deputies in Polk County apprehended 57 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs last month, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The figures only include arrests made by sheriff’s deputies and do not include traffic stops conducted by municipal police departments or the Florida Highway Patrol.
Thirteen of the 57 arrests were from traffic crashes. In two of those cases, the drivers had a child in the vehicle at the time of the crash, which resulted in additional charges of child neglect. Another driver arrested during the monthly enforcement was booked for their third DUI violation.
Investigators highlighted several cases, including Erasmo Rodriguez’s arrest on August 13. The arrest came after a traffic homicide investigation following a May crash. Deputies determined that Rodriguez was driving drunk at 117 mph when he crashed his car, killing a female passenger.
In another case, deputies arrested Francisco LaPierre for DUI after a minor traffic accident. The responding deputy discovered LaPierre wearing a court-ordered ankle monitor. According to records, LaPierre was on pretrial release for a hit-and-run collision on September 28, 2025, that killed a 21-year-old Winter Haven woman.
Sheriff’s officials also stated that five of the persons arrested this month were found to be in the United States illegally. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued detainers to all five drivers.
The sheriff’s office advises anyone who witnesses a suspected intoxicated driver on the road to call 911 immediately.
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