CLERMONT, Florida—The crash that closed the eastbound lanes of Hammock Ridge Road for several hours Monday claimed the life of Clermont man, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
A 2017 Mack box truck was disabled in the eastbound outside lane of Hammock Ridge Road shortly before 9:30 a.m. Monday with its hazard lights on and traffic warning triangle markers placed in the roadway, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.
A 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, being driven by a 37-year-old Clermont man, was traveling in the same lane and attempted to switch lanes to avoid the disabled box truck, but the right front of the Ram struck the rear left of the box truck and the driver of the Ram was pronounced dead on the scene, Crescenzi said. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the box truck, a 49-year-old Winter Haven man, was not injured. The crash remains under investigation.
CLERMONT, Florida—The Florida Highway Patrol is on the scene of a fatal crash on Hammock Ridge Road in Clermont, according to FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi.
The crash happened around 9:20 a.m. Monday and involved a 2003 Dodge Ram 1550 and a 2017 Mack truck on eastbound Hammock Ridge Road near Fox Chase Drive. The driver of the Ram was pronounced dead on the scene and is pending identification, Crescenzi said. The driver of the Mack, a 49-year-old male, was not injured and remained on scene.
FHP is still investigating and has released any other information.
The eastbound lanes of Hammock Ridge Road were still closed at press time. This is a developing story.
FOUR CORNERS, Florida—A 37-year-old Davenport woman was killed shortly before 4:30 a.m. Sunday when she walked into traffic, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
A 2014 Chevy Camaro being driven by a 21-year-old Davenport woman was westbound on U.S. Highway 192, also know as West Irlo Bronson Highway near Town Center Boulevard, when the 37-year-old woman began walking south across the westbound lanes of traffic, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.
The pedestrian, who was not in a marked crosswalk, was struck by the right front of the Camaro and pronounced dead on the scene. The driver, who remained on scene, was not injured, and her passenger, a 20-year-old male, also of Davenport, received minor injuries. He was not transported to the hospital.
The crash remains under investigation, Crescenzi said.
LAKE COUNTY, Florida—The first day of school, scheduled for Aug. 10 for Lake County Schools, is fast approaching and with increased prices for gas, food and many other essential items, many families are in need of back-to-school supplies or some fun to have with the kiddos before they hit the books.
We have compiled of list of events around Lake County that include supply giveaways and fun and informative events for the kids. Cities are listed in alphabetical order, scroll down until you find an event near you.
Clermont
Saturday, July 30, 9 a.m. to noon. Project Kid Connect presented by Lake County Sheriff’s Office Charities. Backpack and school supply giveaway, food, drinks, rock climb, dunk-a-deputy and more. Location: South Lake District Office,15855 State Road 50, Clermont.
Eustis
Saturday, July 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Back to School Bash presented by the City of Eustis. Free food, school supplies and boy’s haircuts while supplies and spaces last. Free pool admission, bounce house and firetrucks and police cars on scene. Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, donors receive $20 eGift card and first responder t-shirt. Location: Ferran Park, 250 Ferran Park Drive, Eustis
Fruitland Park
Friday, July 29, 10 a.m. to noon. Back to School Bash presented by Fruitland Park Library. Free hot dog lunches, school supplies, bicycle helmets and face painting, while supplies last. Free vision and hearing screenings also available. Location: Fruitland Park Library, 604 W. Berckman Street, Fruitland Park.
Groveland
Saturday, July 30, 10 a.m. Back 2 School Backpack Bash presented by the City of Groveland. Free backpacks for grades K-8, adult and child must be present to receive a backpack while supplies last, vendors and a kids zone. Location: Nathaniel Community Gymnasium, 13806 State Road 33, Groveland.
Minneola
Thursday, July 28, 6:30 p.m. Back-to-School Safety Meet-and-Greet with speakers, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell, Lake County Schools Superintendent Diane Kornegay and Lake County Schools Supervisor of Safety and Security Joseph Mabry. Speakers will discuss how LCSO and LCS are keeping students safe. Location: Minneola City Hall, 800 North Highway 27, Minneola.
Mount Dora
Sunday, Aug. 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Whimsy Market’s Back to School Market Mount Dora. More than 30 vendors, character meet and greet with Elsa, sweet treats and food trucks. Location: Essential Therapies Spa, 1518 North Donnelly Street, Mount Dora.
Umatilla
Saturday, July 30, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Whimsy Market’s Back to School Market Umatilla. More than 40 vendors, character meet and greet with Elsa, carnival games, live music, bounce houses and food trucks. Location: Sunsational Farms, 40541 Roger Giles Road, Umatilla.
CLERMONT, Florida—The president of a local high school’s band booster association turned herself in to the Lake County Jail on a warrant after admitting to a Lake County Sheriff’s Office detective she stole nearly $7,500 because she was struggling with monthly bills.
Officials with Clermont’s East Ridge High School and Lake County Schools (LCS)contacted LCSO in early May with concerns about East Ridge High School’s Band Booster Association’s financial records and expenditures after LCS received an anonymous tip, according to a probable cause affidavit.
LCSO began investigating and found that the booster’s association’s president, Denise June McLeod of Minneola, altered at least 44 transactions between July 2021 and March 2022 totaling $7,482. The detective discovered recurring payments to Sprint that paid for McLeod’s family’s cell phone plan and several Venmo cash out transactions.
On July 7, McLeod, 50, was interviewed by an LCSO detective and she reportedly admitted the crimes and said she was struggling to pay her monthly bills and her rent on time.
A warrant was issued for McLeod’s arrest Wednesday for grand theft and false entries into a book of business. She turned herself in at LCJ Friday, where she was released on $4,000 bond.
TAVARES, Florida—Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell has a message for those dealing drugs in Lake County…to be continued.
Announcing the largest fentanyl haul in Lake County history at a press conference Thursday, Grinnell spoke to members of the media about a 4-month operation that resulted in 27 people facing drug-related charges after detectives with multiple agencies targeted three high-level drug traffickers and their associates across the county.
Cliff “Sneak” Johnson, 40, Andrew “Smurf” Woodruff, 37, and Charles, “Cuz” Carter, 50, who have collectively been arrested 75 times for felonies, were the main targets of “Operation Sneak-A-Peek” Grinnell told reporters Thursday afternoon.
“Mr. Johnson goes by the street name, “Sneak,” and our detectives took a peek and what Mr. Sneak was up to; hence, the name of this operation,” Grinnell said.
Detectives from LCSO, Clermont Police Department, Eustis Police Department, Leesburg Police Department and Mount Dora Police Department, DEA, FBI, Homeland Security and the Fifth Circuit State Attorney’s Office investigated the trio and found that fentanyl was coming from Mexico into California and Texas and making its way to Lake County, either by shipping methods or transported by vehicle, Grinnell said.
“This was truly a team effort,” Grinnell said.
PHOTO: Bonnie Whicher/Inside Lake
Detectives traveled to Georgia and throughout Florida to crack the case, according to the sheriff.
Detectives recovered a large amount of drugs, including 3.1 pounds of fentanyl, 1.11 ounces of fentanyl pills, 22 pounds of methamphetamine, 2 pounds of cocaine, 1.2 ounces of crack cocaine, 5.7 ounces of heroin, 10 ounces of MDMA and 15 pounds of marijuana. Thirteen guns were recovered, three of which were stolen, in addition to $12,000 in cash, four vehicles and three pill presses. The drugs have a wholesale street value of nearly $300,000 Grinnell said.
Johnson, of Leesburg, is being held in the Sumter County Jail on no bond and is facing 23 charges, including trafficking, conspiracy to commit trafficking, unlawful use of a two-way communication device and possession of numerous different drugs; Woodruff, of Mount Dora, is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond and is facing four charges, racketeering, conspiracy to commit trafficking in fentanyl and methamphetamine and, unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Carter, of Leesburg, is charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking in fentanyl and cocaine, and conspiracy to commit racketeering. He is also being held in LCJ on no bond.
The operation also revealed the suspects were dealing Isotonitazene, commonly known as ISO, a synthetic opioid that can be 20 to 100 times more potent than fentanyl, Grinnell said.
Seventeen suspects have been arrested and cops are still looking for nine more.
Grinnell had a message for those he calls “pushers of poison.”
“Operations like these save lives and put the pushers of poison behind bars. So here in Lake County, I say, to be continued.”
State Attorney Bill Gladson said some of the charges carry minimum mandatory prison sentences of at least 15 years.
Several documents in each of the suspects’ cases have been sealed and many details of the undercover operation are not available.
FOUR CORNERS, Florida—A 35-year-old Lakeland man was killed in the early morning hours Friday as the result of a hit and run and at least one vehicle running him over, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The man was riding a bicycle southbound at 4:45 a.m. on U.S. Highway 27 near U.S. Highway 192 in the bicycle lane when an unknown vehicle failed to maintain the outside lane and struck the bicyclist, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.
The impact ejected the bicyclist and he landed in the outside lane, where a witness saw at least one vehicle, possibly two, strike the man and continue traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 27. The bicyclist was pronounced dead on the scene, Crescenzi said.
Troopers believe the vehicle that initially struck the man may be a semi, due to tire marks, Crescenzi said. Anyone with information is asked to call FHP at 407-737-2213 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
CLERMONT, Florida—A teenager is facing four criminal charges after crashing a stolen car into the back of a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s patrol car while trying to flee around 4 a.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest affidavit.
LCSO received information a stolen white Dodge Dart was entering Lake County and located it around State Road 50 and East Avenue and several deputies attempted a rolling roadblock. The 16-year-old driver veered across State Road 50 and crashed into a deputy’s marked cruiser, according to the affidavit. The Orlando boy fled into a nearby parking lot and performed a U-turn and entered the westbound lane of State Road 50 traveling eastbound.
Inside Lake is not naming the boy due to his age and the nature of the charges.
The Dart then turned onto Autoplex Lane, a dead-end street, near a Toyota dealership and LCSO performed a felony traffic stop and took the boy into custody. He was arrested for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing to elude and no driver license, never had one.
He was evaluated on scene by Lake EMS and transported to a local hospital where he was medically cleared. He was taken to the Lake County Jail and the Department of Juvenile Justice was contacted, the affidavit states.
CLERMONT, Florida—A 74-year-old registered sex offender was nabbed at Clermont’s Waterfront Park Saturday after being accused of exposing himself to two teenagers, according to an arrest affidavit.
Clermont Police responded to the park around 5 p.m. Saturday and the two victims, approximately 13 years old, said a man, later identified at Victor Manuel Nieves-Mendez, watched them from across the park and then unzipped his pants and exposed himself, according to the affidavit.
The victims’ guardian yelled at Nieves-Mendez and said she was going to call law enforcement. Nieves-Mendez fled and ran into Lake Minneola and hid under a boat dock, where officers caught him. He told CPD he was stretching at the park and when the victims’ guardian accused him, he ran off due to his prior convictions for sexual offenses. According to his Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sexual Offender Flyer, he was convicted of forcible touching in Ockland, New York in 2009.
Nieves-Mendez, of Clermont, told police he was not sure if exposing himself was intentional or not, the affidavit states. Due to Nieves-Mendez age and medical history, Lake EMS responded to the scene, and he refused to be transported. Nieves-Mendez was arrested for two counts of exposure of sexual organs and CPD took him to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares for medical clearance. After he was cleared, he was taken to the Lake County Jail, where he was released on $10,000 bond.
