BOLIVAR PENINSULA, Texas — Known for being arguably the wildest weekend of the year, Jeep Weekend on Bolivar Peninsula ended quietly despite more than 230 arrests.
According to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office, the arrests were primarily for public intoxication or disorderly conduct.
Major Ray Nolan credited the promising results to the decision to double their police presence for 2023.
It was all part of the plan to cut down on the rowdy behavior while making sure the beach party didn't bleed into nearby subdivisions.
"Overall it's been a successful event," Nolan said. "We've had about the same number of arrests as last year."
As many as 30,000 people were expected to line the shores of Crystal Beach for the annual party that started years ago as a gathering for Jeep owners. But recently off-road vehicle enthusiasts of all sorts have joined in.
Throughout the weekend 150 deputies were patrolling the beach from multiple law enforcement agencies, including Texas DPS, to keep partygoers safe.
As of Sunday, 234 people were arrested and 283 charges filed, including 13 felonies, according to Nolan. There were also two people flown to the hospital since Thursday night, and about 40 people were hospitalized with minor injuries.
"We feel like we got a pretty good handle on the overall safety of it," Nolan said. "We're just trying to get through...and try to get everybody home safe."
The sheriff's office also said a woman was in critical condition with a severe head injury after she fell out of a truck Friday night. The driver of that truck has been charged with driving while intoxicated.
Authorities also reported an armed robbery on the beach that is still under investigation.
Rain put a damper on the festivities Saturday night, causing more of a traffic headache on Highway 87 as people tried to leave the beach, only for them to turn around and return once the showers ended.
Meanwhile, in Surfside
It was a very different scene in Surfside where police said there were "zero incidents" over the weekend.
"On behalf of the Officers we want to thank all the Jeep groups that attended Go Topless this weekend. We wanted to report we had zero incidents with all of the Jeep groups on our island," the Surfside Beach Police Department posted on Facebook. "Thank y’all all again for a fun weekend."
They also thanked Lake Area Jeepers for providing food, water and Gatorade for all the officers working the event.
