18 Arrests Made During Gasparilla Festival: Tampa Police

TAMPA, FL — Law enforcement stayed busy during Saturday’s Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest, which drew hundreds of thousands of attendees to Tampa.

“The city may have been invaded by pirates … but we’re appreciative of all those who celebrated responsibly and the dozens of local, state, and federal agencies who assisted us,” the Tampa Police Department wrote in a Facebook post.

• BUI Arrests: 8
• DUI Arrests: 2
• Other Arrests: 8
• Missing Persons: 1
• Traffic Crashes/Violations: 6
• Suspicious Items Located: 2

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission told Fox 13 that it issued 84 boating warnings and 26 citations, in addition to removing the eight impaired boaters from the water, and responded to one boating accident.

A 78-year-old man was hospitalized after falling off a float during the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates Saturday around 4:20 p.m., WTSP reported. He’s in stable condition.

Staff at the city’s Emergency Operations Center “were the eyes and ears for our public safety team on the parade route and surrounding areas,” Tampa Fire Rescue wrote in a Facebook post.