Marilyn M. Aciego

Publisher Marilyn M. Aciego was born and raised in Lake County and is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She began her journalism career at LSSC and in 2023 she was honored with LSSC’s Distinguished Alumni Professional Achievement Award. She began working at the Daily Commercial while she was in college and continued her career there as a reporter after she graduated. In her 20+ year-career, she covered many of the area’s top stories including the disappearance of Trenton Duckett, the death of beloved Sheriff Chris Daniels, both in 2006 and an exclusive interview with then-Eustis Police Capt. Gary Winheim, who was ambushed and shot by a wanted felon in 2019. In addition to Inside Lake, Marilyn is the single mom of a teenaged son and the Florida Bureau Chief for an international media organization.

Former Umatilla Babe Ruth President Admits to Stealing from Organization to Fund Gambling Habit

UMATILLA, Florida—The former president of Umatilla Babe Ruth Inc. has been arrested for stealing nearly $35,000 from the organization to fund his gambling habit, according to a probable cause affidavit.

John Joseph Farley-Gleixner, 36, of Umatilla turned himself in Wednesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest following an investigation by a Lake County Sheriff’s Office detective who began investigating after receiving a theft complaint from a representative of Umatilla Babe Ruth Inc., according to the affidavit.

The investigation found that Farley-Gleixner began misappropriating funds in May 2022 and continued for six months until a check bounced, revealing his indiscretions, a source told Inside Lake. The thefts were discovered in mid-November when the organization bounced a check for uniforms to a Mount Dora business, according to the source.

Farley-Gleixner was removed as president at an emergency meeting following the discovery of the thefts and the organization released a statement that included in part, “While this situation has placed a stain on the Umatilla Babe Ruth Organization, we can and will overcome this.” The theft caused unrest in the Umatilla Babe Ruth Inc. organization and numerous parents reached out to Inside Lake.

Farley-Gleixner, who was the sole debit card holder for the organization’s bank account, used the card to repeatedly withdraw money from various ATMs at internet gambling establishments, commonly known as “fish games,” in addition to using withdrawal slips and a United Southern Bank ATM to obtain cash, totaling $34,917.75, the detective noted. The ATM camera at United Southern Bank captured Farley-Gleixner on video completing transactions, according to the affidavit.

Farley-Gleixner advised he has a gambling problem, and he is “seeking help for it at this time,” and he told LCSO he was the only one responsible for the thefts. A warrant was issued for Farley-Gleixner’s arrest for grand theft Tuesday, and he turned himself in at the Lake County Jail just before noon Wednesday. He was released on $5,000 bond.

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Leesburg Man Flees Sumter County Crash that Killed Motorcyclist Thursday Night, Arrested a Few Miles Away

SUMTER COUNTY, Florida—A Leesburg man is being held in the Sumter County Jail after fleeing a crash that killed a Kissimmee motorcyclist, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Lloyd Douglas Walters, 59, was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee westbound on State Road 44 in the left turn lane near County Road 171 while a 51-year-old Kissimmee man riding a Suzuki motorcycle was traveling westbound on State Road 44 in the inside lane at 7:25 p.m. Thursday.

Walters changed lanes and collided with the motorcycle, ejecting its rider. The motorcyclist was taken to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries, FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins said in a press release.

Walters fled the scene and was apprehended by Sumter County Sheriff’s Office deputies just a few miles away at State Road 44 and Morse Boulevard, Gaskins said. Troopers arrested Walters for DUI manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crash involving death and no valid driver license.

PHOTO: Sumter County Sheriff’s Office

Leesburg Man Flees Sumter County Crash that Killed Motorcyclist Thursday Night, Arrested a Few Miles Away Read More »

Leesburg Motorcyclist Killed Thursday Night, Police Say

LEESBURG, Florida—A 30-year-old Leesburg man was killed late Thursday night after he struck the back of an SUV, according to Leesburg Police Department Capt. Joe Iozzi.

James B. Freeze was riding a blue 2007 Yamaha YZF-R6 motorcycle southbound in the 10400 block of U.S. Highway 441, when he struck the back of a white 2020 Lexus GX being driven by Meredith K. Nettles, 44, of Pensacola shortly before 10:30 p.m. Nettles had just made a U-turn prior to the crash, Iozzi said in a press release.

Freeze was pronounced dead on the scene.

“The crash remains under investigation, though it appears speed was a factor,” Iozzi said.

LPD is asking witnesses to the crash to call LPD’s Traffic Enforcement Unit at 352-787-2121.

Leesburg Motorcyclist Killed Thursday Night, Police Say Read More »

Christmas Carjacking and Crash Into Blueberry Field Ends in a Trip to Jail

FRUITLAND PARK, Florida—A homeless man is accused of carjacking a taxi driver, crashing the car into a blueberry field and spitting on a firefighter’s boot Christmas night, according to an arrest affidavit.

A taxi driver received a call from staff at UF Health Leesburg Hospital to pick up Troy Ravin Yar, 23, who is listed as homeless, to transport him to a cold weather shelter around 6 p.m., the affidavit states.

As the pair drove to Fruitland Park, Yar struck the victim in the right side of his neck with his fist and said, “Get the (expletive) out, I’m going to (expletive) kill you,” near the intersection of Urick Street and Thomas Avenue, the victim told Fruitland Park Police Department. Trinity Assembly of God, 200 Urick Street, Fruitland Park, was the county’s only 24-hour cold weather shelter during the weekend’s “Arctic Blast.”

The victim exited the vehicle fearing Yar had a knife to his neck, he told police, and the victim had a large gash on the side of his neck, the arresting FPPD officer noted in the affidavit. Yar then took the vehicle and crashed in a nearby blueberry field and fled the scene. He was apprehended a short time later on County Road 468.

Yar told police he took the car because he wanted to see his brother; he then complained of knee pain and Lake County Fire Rescue responded to evaluate Yar. When they arrived, Yar allegedly said, “(Expletive) you, I’ll walk to the hospital,” and spit in the direction of a firefighter. The saliva landed on the firefighter’s boot.

Yar was arrested for carjacking, battery on a firefighter and leaving the scene of a crash involving damage. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on $30,500.

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Elderly Woman Struck by 2 Vehicles and Killed Christmas Night, Leesburg Police Say

LEESBURG, Florida—An 80-year-old woman was struck by two vehicles and killed Christmas night as she attempted to cross busy State Road 44, also known as Dixie Avenue in Leesburg, according to Leesburg Police Department Capt. Joe Iozzi.

Gladys Lopez was found deceased in the roadway when LPD responded to a crash at Dixie Avenue and Euclid Avenue around 7:45 p.m. Sunday, Iozzi said. The intersection is a just about a mile from UF Health Leesburg Hospital.

“The preliminary investigation indicates Ms. Lopez was struck by two vehicles as she was attempting to cross State Road 44/Dixie Avenue,” Iozzi said in a press release.

Lopez was struck by a black 2015 Kia sedan being driven by Michael Lehman of Leesburg, and then struck a second time by a blue 2011 Hyundai sedan being driven by Eric Dillard, 40, also of Leesburg. Both vehicles were traveling eastbound, Iozzi said.

LPD is asking witnesses to call the Traffic Unit at 352-728-9862.

Elderly Woman Struck by 2 Vehicles and Killed Christmas Night, Leesburg Police Say Read More »

Leesburg Woman, 22, Dies from Injuries She Suffered In Sumter County Crash Monday

SUMTER COUNTY, Florida—A 22-year-old Leesburg woman has succumbed to injuries she suffered from a three-vehicle crash in Sumter County Monday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Shortly before 10 p.m. Monday, the woman was a passenger in a sedan being driven by a 27-year-old Wildwood man when the sedan was struck by another sedan being driven by an 18-year-old Leesburg man who ran a red light at the intersection of County Road 466 and Buena Vista Boulevard, according to FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins.  

Both sedans rotated and collided with a traffic sign support and the second sedan collided with the front of an SUV, being driven by a 46-year-old Ocala man. The Wildwood man in the second sedan was killed and his passenger, a 22-year-old Leesburg woman suffered serious injuries. She was transported to a local hospital, where she died Thursday, Gaskins said.  The driver of the first sedan, and his passenger, both 18-year-old Leesburg men, also suffered serious injuries. The driver of the SUV, and his passenger, a 63-year-old Villages woman suffered minor injuries.

Leesburg Woman, 22, Dies from Injuries She Suffered In Sumter County Crash Monday Read More »

Tree Service Owner Picked Up on Warrant for Pilfering Packages from Customer in October

LEESBURG, Florida—The owner of a tree service company was caught on camera stealing packages from one of his customers, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Robert Wayne Williams, owner of Tree Life Services, was captured on surveillance video Oct. 29 stealing two Amazon packages from the victim who had hired Williams to do tree work on her Leesburg property, she told the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

The case was turned over to an LCSO detective, who viewed the video and was able to identify Williams from past encounters, the affidavit states. Williams, 48, of Leesburg, is seen exiting his white Ford truck, walking up to the victim’s porch and grabbing two packages containing jeans and shoes, valued at more than $120.

The detective made attempts to interview Williams, but “met with negative results due to Williams having an active warrant out of Marion County,” he stated in the affidavit.

Robert Wayne Williams PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff’s Office

Officers from Fruitland Park Police Department attempted to pull Williams over Dec. 2, when officers spotted him at a Fruitland Park gas station, but he fled the stop and was later arrested by Leesburg Police Department. He was arrested for fleeing and eluding, in addition to petit theft and burglary in the Lake County case, and on warrants for three counts of burglary, two counts of grand theft auto, two counts of possession burglary tools, criminal mischief and grand theft from Marion County.

He was released from the Lake County Jail on $33,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in Lake County court Tuesday.

Tree Service Owner Picked Up on Warrant for Pilfering Packages from Customer in October Read More »

“Arctic Blast” Arrives Just in Time for Christmas, Cold Weather Shelters to be Activated

LAKE COUNTY, Florida—In anticipation of this weekend’s chilly weather, Lake County will open two cold weather shelter locations Friday afternoon.

Both locations will open at 5:30 p.m. Friday; Trinity Assembly of God, 200 Urick Street, Fruitland Park will stay open 24 hours a day through Tuesday, and LifePointe Church, 3551 East Orange Avenue will be open 5:30 p.m. through 8 a.m. each day until Tuesday, according to Lake County Emergency Management.

A warming shelter will also be open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday at the Salvation Army, 2605 South Street, Leesburg,  

Lake Xpress will provide free transportation to cold weather shelters for those who need assistance traveling to a shelter Saturday and Sunday. Schedules are available on Lake Xpress’ website.

Residents who do not have access to a Lake Xpress fixed route must call 352-742-2612 by 1 p.m. Friday to arrange transportation. Clermont Police Department will check for those in need at Florida Citrus Tower, 141 South U.S. Highway 27, Clermont between 4:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Friday; if no one is on site, a bus will not be dispatched, according to officials.

According to the U.S. National Weather Service Melbourne, temperatures are expected to be at or below freezing with the wind chill in the 20s in Lake County. Officials are urging residents to make sure pets have a warm place to stay with plenty of food and water, cover exposed pipes, and cover or in bring in sensitive plants.

GRAPHIC: U.S. National Weather Service Melbourne

“Arctic Blast” Arrives Just in Time for Christmas, Cold Weather Shelters to be Activated Read More »

BREAKING NEWS: Car Drives Into Eustis Building

EUSTIS, Florida—Patients and visitors to a local healthcare facility got a quite a scare Wednesday morning when a car drove into the building, according to Eustis Police Department.

Only Inside Lake was on scene just after a 79-year-old Tavares woman told police she was “trying to park and the car lunged forward,” at AdventHealth Well 65+, 2906 David Walker Drive, Eustis around 9 a.m. She was not injured. The Suzuki sedan entered the building in a conference room where a man was on a Zoom call and he saw the car coming at him in the camera, EPD said. He was able to get out of the way and was not injured.

EPD, Eustis Fire Department, Tavares Fire Department, Mount Dora Fire Department, Lake EMS and Lake County Fire Paramedics all responded to the scene.

Numerous agencies responded to the scene Wednesday morning when a 79-year-old woman drove into a building in Eustis around 9 a.m. No one was injured. PHOTO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake

BREAKING NEWS: Car Drives Into Eustis Building Read More »

Man Accused of Beating Pet Raccoon with Hammer, Threatening Roommate and Neighbor

MOUNT DORA, Florida—A Mount Dora man was arrested last week, accused of threatening his roommate, holding a “sewing” needle to his neighbor’s neck and beating a raccoon with a hammer that his roommate was caring for, according to an arrest affidavit.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to Circle Drive in Mount Dora on a report of a battery shortly after 5:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and when they arrived, a woman said her roommate, Tevin Keason Williams, 31, began punching her vehicle when she got home. A neighbor told deputies Williams threatened to kill him while holding a “sewing” needle to his neck; the man also told deputies Williams beat a raccoon with a hammer, according to the affidavit.

Tevin Williams PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff’s Office

The woman told LCSO she was caring for the raccoon and kept it in a kennel at the rear of the home. The deputy located the hammer, a mat with blood on it, and the raccoon. The raccoon was breathing when the deputy left the scene, he noted in the affidavit.

Williams was questioned and he said he was mad at his brother and another male and denied having any weapons, but a witness told the deputy Williams did walk up to the man’s porch and threaten him with the needle. Williams was arrested for aggravated animal cruelty and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; he was released from the Lake County Jail on $6,000 bond.

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