Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has filed a lawsuit against two Georgia women, accusing them of organising and promoting a “Spring Break Invasion” in Daytona Beach that resulted in widespread disorder and incurred more than $800,000 in emergency policing costs, including the use of helicopters and drones.
Lawsuit Details
The lawsuit, lodged on Tuesday, seeks damages exceeding $100,000 from Aliyah Brooks and Brittany Plummer. It alleges that their social media promotion of the “Daytona Spring Break 2k26” event placed an excessive burden on law enforcement and endangered public safety, as reported by the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Costs and Staffing
The spring break “invasion” necessitated a significant increase in law enforcement presence, amounting to 546 regular-duty hours and 1,394 overtime hours. According to the lawsuit, the total cost to the department was $811,421.
Spanning two weeks in March, the events attracted predominantly college-aged attendees from Central Florida, Georgia, and other southern states. Sheriff Chitwood previously disclosed at a news conference that 133 individuals were arrested across Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach for various offences.
Stampedes and Firearms
The lawsuit states: “At various points, there were stampedes caused by individuals making explosive noises with water bottles (to simulate a gunshot). It is a miracle no one was shot.” It further alleges that people in the crowd were openly carrying firearms. While open carry is legal, the dense crowd created a “flashpoint” for potential danger.
Officials reported four separate shootings over the weekend within city limits, though none occurred on the beach itself.
Promoters’ Actions
The suit claims that “The Invasion created chaos and mayhem in Daytona Beach and was widely reported in the media. This notoriety was an intended result of the promotors' deliberate actions and disregard for public welfare.”
Brooks, a student at Kennesaw State University and former owner of Too Dope Events, LLC, allegedly continued using the dissolved company to promote events online under the alias “real aliyah”. Local officials had warned Brooks and the company that permits were required and events must comply with local regulations, but they did not respond.
Plummer is said to operate multiple social media accounts, including “partyplugboosie” and “Brittany.plummer.12”. She was informed by officials that permits were necessary, but she replied that “she was not conducting any activities that require a permit.”
Attendance and Impact
The suit notes that Brooks did not attend the event, but Plummer did and posted on social media, “decrying local government efforts to keep everyone safe and otherwise attempted to maximise her gains from the Invasion.”
Sheriff Chitwood’s lawsuit states: “Promotors who don’t obtain permits profit while law-abiding businesses suffer from unfair competition.” It also claims that local businesses remained closed or did not open at all and were forced to clean up the mess left by partygoers, resulting in financial losses while promoters profited.
Legal Representation
Attorney Aaron Delgado filed the sheriff’s lawsuit seeking over $100,000 in damages. His firm also represents two local businesses, Hog Heaven and Made in the Shade, which have filed similar suits claiming losses from property damage, cleanup costs, and reputational harm linked to the events. Each business is seeking between $75,001 and $100,000 in damages, according to court cover sheets reviewed by the outlet.
The Independent has reached out to Brooks and Plummer for comment.
