Charlotte County has enacted a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for all of Charlotte County, including the City of Punta Gorda, effective at 9 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9. The curfew will be in place until further notice. Violation of the curfew is a misdemeanor.
The curfew includes a ban on the sale of alcohol between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. until the curfew is rescinded.
"Although I recognize the frustrations that come with enacting a curfew, this is a means of protecting the people and property of Charlotte County during and following Hurricane Milton.” said Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell. “As soon as it is safe, I will recommend the order be rescinded. Until that time, the only people who should be out on the roadways during those hours are essential workers as they strive to assess damage and provide assistance to those in need and people traveling to and from work.”
"We will be strictly enforcing a curfew in the City of Punta Gorda for the safety of our citizens,” said Punta Gorda Police Chief Pam Smith. “This curfew will allow emergency responders to focus on post-storm rescue and recovery efforts.”