7 arrested, 17 cited after illegal car meet draws about 75 vehicles to Blanding Boulevard, JSO says

Seven people were arrested and 17 traffic citations were issued after an unpermitted car meet brought about 75 vehicles to a Blanding Boulevard parking lot, where dangerous driving spilled onto nearby streets, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.RELATED: Northeast Florida racked up over 350 super speeder stops in the law’s first year. So which roads have the most?One of those arrested was Ruben Martinez, 41, who was charged with driving under the influence, possessing 20 grams or less of marijuana, having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and attending a highway racing event as a spectator, according to his arrest report.An officer working the operation said he saw Martinez pour beer from a bottle, pick up two beers and drive a Toyota Corolla toward the lot’s exit shortly after midnight Nov. 8. The officer followed the car to a RaceTrac parking lot and stopped it, the report said.The officer reported that Martinez had bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech and an odor of alc