PANAMA CITY BEACH — Although Thunder Beach’s 22nd annual fall pickup drew thousands of tourists to Panama City Beach Oct. 19-23, police knowledge suggests it didn’t create the same dramatic increase in crime as Thunder Beach’s 24th annual spring rally this year.
According to data from the Panama City Beach Police Department, there were 11 DUI, 52 traffic accidents, 63 arrests and 126 citations issued on PCBs last week’s event. By comparison, there were 4 DUIs, 40 traffic accidents, 68 arrests and 143 citations from Sept. 11 to Sept. 18, one was random about five days earlier a month earlier.
“Thunder Beach is made up (mostly) of blue-collar Americans looking to enjoy the toys they paint really hard for. . . and 99% of them just enjoy our beautiful beach and town,” said chef J. R. Talamantez of the beach police. “It’s only 1% that’s causing problems for each and every one, and that’s how it is for each and every special event. “
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The numbers for the fall rally are very different from those for the spring rally, when injuries and citations nearly doubled and arrests exceeded 60%.
During the spring rally, there were 8 DUIs, 70 accidents, nearly 90 arrests, and 230 citations issued on PCBs. In an era of five days before the spring event, when there were six DUI, 36 accidents, 55 arrests and 105 citations issued.
“Every rally is a little different,” Talamantez said. Between the autumn and spring meetings, we see another type of clientele appear. The only thing that remained constant in Thunder Beach is that we don’t see the violent crime related to giant motorcycle gatherings. “
He also said that while Thunder Beach is known to create a building on calls for his apartment, it’s not a feature unique to the motorcycle-themed event.
“(No) it’s more than the influx of police requests for any other special event,” Talamantez said. “It’s fair to say that this motorcycle rally, I think, is one of the safest, if any, safest in the state of Florida. “.
“It’s not a kind of express event that construction demands, it’s (the influx) of other people who stick to those events that construction demands. “