There’s having a good time while driving, and there’s totally disregarding the law. One man did both at the same time and found himself hit with the consequences for doing so. Deputies arrested a Florida driver who sped across Jacksonville’s Mathews Bridge at about 120 mph, which is almost three times the speed limit, all while smoking a lit marijuana cigar, or a blunt.
A sergeant from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Specialized Traffic Enforcement unit was monitoring the bridge, where the speed limit is 45 mph, when the driver passed by, as reported by WFLA.
When Sergeant White approached, the driver didn’t even remove the blunt from his mouth to talk, according to deputies. The sheriff’s office said this behavior led to an additional charge, as the driver appeared impaired while discussing the situation. Deputies charged the driver with both super speeding and driving under the influence.
The sheriff’s office highlighted the arrest on social media to remind people that a DUI isn’t always about alcohol. They described driving 120 mph while high as a quick way to end up in jail, which is always what happens in these situations. The officers said this case is exactly what the Florida superspeeder law is meant to address.
This arrest is just one of hundreds made under that law across Florida. Since the dangerous excessive speeding statute began in July 2025, agencies have made many arrests. For example, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office reported 323 arrests in the first year, with about one in six involving drivers going 120 mph or faster. The Jacksonville driver’s name was not released, and the charges have not yet been tested in court.
What Florida’s “Super Speeder” Law Actually Does
Florida’s dangerous, excessive speeding law, House Bill 351, started on July 1, 2025. It changed some extreme speeding from a civil ticket to a criminal offense. The law says a driver commits a crime by going at least 50 mph over the speed limit, or by driving 100 mph or more in a way that puts people or property at risk or interferes with other vehicles.
Penalties get tougher for repeat offenses. A first conviction can mean up to 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both. A second or later conviction can bring up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Drivers with two or more violations in five years can lose their license for at least 180 days. In the law’s first year, court records show results from fines and driver courses to jail time, with at least one jury acquittal.
Most cases are still in progress. Being charged does not mean being convicted, and anyone arrested is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Why a DUI Doesn’t Include Only Alcohol-Related Offenses
The second charge in the Jacksonville case highlights a key point from the sheriff’s office: a DUI is about being impaired, but not just by alcohol. Florida law allows a DUI charge if a person’s normal abilities are affected by alcohol, a controlled substance, or a chemical substance. That includes marijuana and other drugs.
Marijuana DUIs are harder to measure than alcohol DUIs, which affects how these cases are handled. There is no set number like the 0.08 blood-alcohol limit for marijuana. Instead, officers look at signs of impairment, driving behavior, field sobriety tests, and sometimes use drug-recognition experts or blood and urine tests.
A first DUI in Florida is usually a misdemeanor with fines, possible jail time, license suspension, and a required ignition device or education. But when you combine excessive speeding with smoking a blunt while driving, everyone loses. So our advice to you is to keep that at home where it belongs and slow the heck down.