Police agencies to announce plans for truck meet crowds expected in Daytona area
Four Volusia County police agencies are expected to announce Thursday they are creating a special events zone this weekend as crowds for a truck meet rescheduled to be held in South Florida may still come to the Daytona Beach area.
In February, the infamous Daytona Truck Meet was rebranded as the Florida Truck Meet and was officially moved to South Florida for its 2022 edition, slated for June 10-12 in Homestead.
In its eight years in Daytona Beach, the gathering of monster trucks and the people who love them had developed a reputation as an unwelcome annual event that turned city neighborhoods into war zones beset by roaring engines, ear-splitting train horns, smoke-belching exhaust systems and objectionable behavior by attendees that treated the city like an open-air toilet and trash can.
But even though the event has been moved due to public pressure, local officials believe that some of the truck enthusiasts will still be coming to the Daytona Beach area rather than head south.
"While a large percentage of truck enthusiasts will be in South Florida for the three-day event, Daytona Beach police are anticipating some will arrive here," the police department said in a news release.
The law enforcement agencies — the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, the Daytona Beach Police Department and the Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety — are acting on a new Florida law that took effect on May 26.
The law gives police the power to designate a special events zone and implement enhanced penalties for non-criminal traffic infractions.
According to the law introduced by local legislator, State Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, law enforcement officers also have the authority to impound violators' vehicles, while also providing communities with "enforceable," enhanced penalties for violations of noise and sound ordinances.
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Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood will hold a joint press conference on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at the Stephen Saboda Training Center at 3901 Tiger Bay Road. He will be joined by Daytona Beach police Chief Jakari Young, Daytona Beach Shores public safety Director Stephan Dembinsky and Volusia County Beach Safety Director Andrew Ethridge.
Daytona Beach police officials said truckers are welcome in Daytona Beach but they are also expected to respect the law.
Daytona Beach police said they will actively monitor crowds and traffic congestion associated with cruising.
"Burnouts, loud horns and music, driving through residential neighborhoods and disruptive behavior will not be tolerated," the department said in its release.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Stricter penalties expected for truck meet crowds expected in Daytona
