The Martin County Sheriff's Office recorded five DUI arrests as of Thursday morning, prompting Sheriff John Budensiek to warn of a concerning rise in daytime impaired driving. Among the incidents was a wrong-way driver on Kanner Highway, a driver on A1A who hit a railroad crossing at high speed and rolled her car, and another driver with no license or insurance.
Body camera footage from Wednesday shows deputies responding to a single-vehicle crash on I-95 near Martin Highway, where an intoxicated driver collided with a guardrail, abandoned the wrecked car in the center lane of the interstate, and fled the scene. The driver was taken into custody and faces charges including DUI, possession of heroin, and driving without a license.
According to the sheriff's office, DUI charges have increased every year since 2022. The office reported 506 DUI charges in 2022, 532 in 2023, 537 in 2024, 540 in 2025, and 349 year-to-date in 2026. Budensiek said the aggressive driving unit will continue monitoring roadways day and night to combat impaired and dangerous drivers. He credited members of the public who call and report suspicious activity.