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Sheriff describes multi-agency 'Operation Buggy Whip' to curb large UTV gatherings and unsafe activity along county creeks
Summary
Sheriff Eric Ellison told the board a multi-agency enforcement operation reduced large side-by-side gatherings, resulted in citations, recovered firearms, and emphasized public-safety messaging after a fatal rollover last year.
Sheriff Eric Ellison described "Operation Buggy Whip," a multi-agency effort involving 12 agencies to address large UTV/side-by-side gatherings along rivers and creeks after a fatal rollover the prior year. He said public-service announcements and coordinated patrols reduced the crowd sizes; the operation led to citations for vehicle-registration and insurance violations, DUIs, two pursuits (one suspect fled), recovery of firearms, and other enforcement actions.
Ellison recounted that social-media posts advertised large gatherings and that law enforcement intervened when groups became unsafe, including an incident where individuals in a tunnel brandished a firearm. He stressed that the county welcomes responsible tourism but will enforce laws: "We're not gonna permit that kind of violence and that kind of activity in our county," he said, and thanked cooperating agencies and Freeport for support.
