BOLIVAR PENINSULA, Texas – The annual and unofficial “Jeep Weekend” on Crystal Beach is underway, but this year’s event looks strikingly different from those in the past. Once infamous for mayhem, overcrowding, and even violence, this year’s event has been met with a sweeping law enforcement presence that appears to be reshaping the event’s future.
More than 520 officers from 16 different agencies have been deployed across the Bolivar Peninsula, a show of force that has resulted in at least 161 arrests so far.
“We ended up recovering 30 guns last night at a checkpoint. That’s 30 guns that would have been on our beaches today,” Sheriff Fullen said during a ride-along interview with KPRC 2.
Authorities say the types of weapons confiscated included AR-15-style rifles and automatic shotguns with extended magazines. Fullen emphasized the necessity of vehicle checkpoints, despite some criticism, pointing out the very real threat posed by heavily armed visitors.
The increased security comes after a deadly incident last year. A shooting left one man dead, and several others injured in 2024.
Maritza and Hector Balboa were there.
“All we heard was pop, pop, pop. I covered his body and started praying,” recalled Maritza Balboa, who returned to the event this year with her husband Hector after vowing never to come back.
The Balboas said the drastic change in atmosphere and the visible police presence convinced them to give Jeep Weekend another chance.
“We put our family in jeopardy last year. But coming out here now and seeing the protocol, the police presence it’s night and day,” Hector said.
Aerial views from this year show significantly more open space and less congestion on the beach compared to years past, where the shoreline was packed bumper-to-bumper with vehicles and revelers. According to Sheriff Fullen, the situation used to be “total mayhem.”
In 2024, law enforcement responded to 893 calls for service during the same weekend. This year, with the heightened enforcement and new protocols in place, the sheriff hopes the event will begin transitioning back to what it once was decades ago — a family-friendly beach weekend.
“We’d like to see this event back in the entertainment section families coming down here and enjoying the beach,” Fullen said.
As Jeep clubs and beachgoers continue to arrive, the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office plans to maintain its stronghold through the remainder of the weekend.
