Monday 23 May 2022 11:22 PM Texas 'Go Topless Jeep Weekend' results in more than 100 arrests trends now
Over 100 people were arrested and more than 30 others were sent to the hospital after they suffered injuries at an infamous beach festival for Jeep enthusiasts in Texas.
Galveston County Sheriff's deputies were overwhelmed over the weekend as they responded to reports of assaults, brawls and DWIs when the 'Go Topless Jeep' festival at Crystal Beach descended into chaos.
Twenty-two-year-old suspected drunk driver Darius Danzell Gilbert was arrested after allegedly running over deputy sergeant John Hamm, who suffered two broken legs and head injuries, local news station KHOU reported.
At least 38 people had to be transported to hospitals, eight of them via helicopter, for injuries they sustained at the yearly event, with one woman being shot in her buttocks.
Police rushed to the shoreline to deal with car crashes, public intoxication, drunk driving, vehicle burglary and other offenses after the party spiraled out of control.
The number of arrests this year is a decline from 2021, when more than 200 partygoers ended up in jail. In recent years, residents of the area have pleaded with authorities to ban the festival, which they say leaves Crystal Beach trashed.
Galveston County Sheriff's deputies were overwhelmed over the weekend as they responded to mounting reports of assaults, brawls and DWIs when the 'Go Topless Jeep' festival at Crystal Beach descended into chaos
Police rushed to the shoreline to deal with car crashes, public intoxication, drunk driving, vehicle burglary and other offenses after the party spiraled out of control
The number of arrests this year is a decline from 2020's, when over 200 partygoers ended up in jail. In recent years, residents of the area have pleaded with authorities to ban the festival, which they say leaves Crystal Beach insanely trashed
More than the 40,000 Jeep aficionados took to Crystal Beach on Saturday to celebrate the 'Go Topless' weekend
More than the 40,000 Jeep aficionados took to Crystal Beach on Saturday to celebrate the 'Go Topless' weekend.
Galveston County Emergency Services and other state and county authorities had been planning for months to prepare for the annual festival, which draws a multitude of visitors to the Bolivar Peninsula from around the region.
Sergeant Hamm, with the Galveston County Sheriff's Office, was severely injured after he responded to a crash around 1.30am on Sunday. Police said he was struck by Gilbert, of Jefferson County, and received injuries to his legs, arms and head.
Hamm underwent surgery on Sunday. Gilbert was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer
