Planned truck meet event prompts ‘zero tolerance’ zones in Volusia County

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Sheriff Mike Chitwood said he’s gotten wind of an unpermitted, unsanctioned event that’s likely to happen in Volusia County this weekend.

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As a result, the Sheriff’s Office has designated a Special Events Zone — an area where Chitwood said all laws and codes will be strictly enforced, fines will be doubled, and violators’ vehicles will be impounded.

Chitwood said the event is known as “Daytona Truck Meet 2023″ and has been making its presence known on social media.

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He said his office has identified and contacted three people who have been promoting the event, and advised them of the possible consequences for spearheading an unpermitted event.

Chitwood said such events can put a strain on public safety resources, interfere with traffic flow, and even jeopardize the public welfare.

In 2022, Florida law authorized certain officials statewide to designate an area as a “special event zone” upon anticipating unpermitted activity or events organized or promoted on social media platforms.

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See a map of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Special Event Zone below:

Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said penalties inside the zone may include:

• Doubled fines for any non-criminal traffic infraction
• Impounding a vehicle for up to 72 hours for any non-criminal traffic infraction or criminal traffic violation

Chitwood said enforcement inside the zone would begin Friday morning and will remain in effect as long as reasonably necessary.

In Ormond Beach, officials said they were also made aware of the possible ‘pop-up” event heading into the weekend.

Chief Robert Godfrey announced that he’s also designating a Special Event Zone which would include the east side of the Granada Bridge and the State Road 40 corridor from State Road A1A to US-1.

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He said that in addition to zero tolerance for criminal activity citywide, OBPD planned to beef up staffing to proactively patrol the designated zone.

He added that fines for traffic violators would be harsher than normal and reminded the public that promotors and organizers of unsanctioned events are also subject to penalties.

Read the full Special Event Zone designation and see map below:

For more information on past special event zones in Volusia County, click here:

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