Lady Lake Archives - Inside Lake

Lake County prepares for Helene

Astatula, Clermont, Eustis, Fruitland Park, Groveland, Howey-in-the-Hills, Inside Scoop, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Mascotte, Minneola, Montverde, Mount Dora, Tavares, Umatilla, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

Publisher’s note: This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.— Tropical Storm Helene, expected to make landfall Thursday as Hurricane Helene, is expected to bring wind and rain to Lake County and residents should finish storm preparations by Wednesday afternoon. How to get information and sandbags, along with closures are listed below.

Citizens Information line: 352-253-9999

AlertLake Notification System: sign up at https://alertlake.com/ or text ALERTLAKE to 888777

Closures:

Butler Street Boat Ramp, 55400 Butler Street, Astor, 5 a.m. Wednesday

City of Eustis, Thursday

City of Groveland, Thursday

Lake County Board of County Commissioners, Thursday

Lake County Schools, Thursday

Lake-Sumter State College, Thursday

Pearl Street Boat Ramp, 25140 E. Pearl Street, Astor, 5 a.m. Wednesday

Sandbag locations

All locations are self-service, bring your own shovel.

Clermont

(Former public services facility, adjacent to West Park,) 400 12^th St., Clermont, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday

Eustis

Eustis Fire Station 22, 100 West Norton Ave., Eustis, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday

Groveland

Lot next to 310 Crittenden St., Groveland, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday

Leesburg

Susan Street Complex, 940 Susan St., Leesburg, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday

Mascotte

161 Knight St., Mascotte, 8 a.m., to 5 p.m. Wednesday

Mount Dora

Frank Brown Sports Complex, 1245 East Pine Ave., Mount Dora, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting

Unincorporated Lake County

All locations open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, weather permitting

East Lake Sports and Community Complex, 24809 Wallick Rd. Sorrento

North Lake Regional Park. 40730 Roger Giles Rd., Umatilla

Astor Fire Station 10.23023 State Road 40, Astor

Minneola Athletic Complex, 1300 Fosgate Rd. (13930 Education Ave.) Minneola

PEAR Gateway Park (Front Entrance,) 26701 U.S. Highway 27, Leesburg

Four Corners Fire Station 112, 16240 CR 474, Clermont

Hickory Point Recreation Complex, 27315 State Road 19, Tavares

Waste collection

Groveland, Thursday pickup will shift to Friday, Friday pickup will shift to Saturday

Montverde, pickups are canceled Thursday and will resume Monday.

Lake County Office of Solid Waste, Thursday pickup will shift to Friday, Friday pickup will shift to Saturday

Lake County prepares for Helene Read More »

BREAKING NEWS: Lake County Schools closed Thursday

TAVARES, Fla.- Lake County public schools will be closed Thursday due to Tropical Storm Helene, which is expected to be a hurricane when it makes landfall, according to Lake County Schools.

After-school activities on Wednesday are not cancelled and a decision will be made about Friday following Wednesday’s mid-day briefing, LCS said.

BREAKING NEWS: Lake County Schools closed Thursday Read More »

Teen facing charges after allegedly firing shots in Lady Lake restaurant parking lot

Fruitland Park, Inside Scoop, Lady Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LADY LAKE, Fla.—A 15-year-old male was arrested Saturday night after being accused of firing several shots in a restaurant parking lot where a crowd of people had gathered.

Lady Lake Police Department officers were responding to a reported fight in progress at Fresh Jalapeno Mexican Restaurant, 360 South Highway 27/441 when they received information shots had been fired in the parking lot, around 11 p.m. Saturday, according to Communications Director Elisha Pappacoda.

As officers arrived on scene, a silver SUV being driven by the 15-year-old suspect, sped out of the parking lot and turned south on U.S. Highway 27/441. Officers from Fruitland Park Police Department deployed a tire deflation device, and the teen was taken into custody. His name has not been released.

Witnesses told LLPD a fight started between two groups inside the restaurant and continued outside in the parking lot, where the teen is accused of firing the shots, Pappacoda said. No one was injured. Officers found several shell casings in the parking lot and a handgun along the highway near where the teen fled police.

The teen was arrested for four counts of discharging a firearm in public, two counts of fleeing and eluding, driving without a license and aggravated battery. The aggravated battery charge stems from the teen hitting someone as he sped out of the parking lot, Pappacoda said.

Teen facing charges after allegedly firing shots in Lady Lake restaurant parking lot Read More »

Mom and sister of accused Leesburg murderer arrested, girlfriend wanted by police

Inside Scoop, Lady Lake, Leesburg / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LEESBURG, Fla.—The mother and sister of accused murderer Alex Lopez were arrested Thursday for their role in helping Lopez elude capture, and Lopez’ girlfriend is on the run.

Patricia Kinchens, 42, and Breanna Lopez, 27, were taken into custody by Leesburg Police Department, with assistance from Lady Lake Police Department and Wildwood Police Department, LPD Sgt. Shannon Walsh said. Lopez’ girlfriend Kaili E. Dupuis, 25, remains wanted.

*Patricia Kinchens, is seen here in a 2023 mugshot when she was sentenced for an unrelated probation violation. Breanna Lopez is seen here in her current mugshot,*

Alex Lopez, 25, is facing charges of premeditated murder, armed robbery and two other weapons offenses; he is accused of gunning down father of five, Raied “Ray” Shihadeh, 51, at Fast Stop Superette, 3702 Picciola Road, on May 30 during an armed robbery of the store. It was Shihadeh’s daughter’s 16^th birthday. Lopez was on the run for nearly a month until he was arrested at a Kissimmee motel June 26. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.

*Raied “Ray” Shihadeh was murdered May 30, 2024. Photo courtesy of Monique Shihadeh*

Kinchens’ booking information and current mugshot were not available at press time; Breanna Lopez is being held on no bond.

Previous story: Accused murderer back in Lake County – Inside Lake

Mom and sister of accused Leesburg murderer arrested, girlfriend wanted by police Read More »

LCSO Master Deputy Bradley Link to be honored with run Wednesday night

TAVARES, Fla.—Lake County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Bradley Link is scheduled to be honored Wednesday night by a young man who will run his 1,550^th mile in support of fallen first responders.

Zechariah Cartledge founded Running 4 Heroes Inc., a non-profit organization in 2019, to raise funds for fallen first responders. Cartledge is scheduled to run the mile at 8 p.m. Wednesday, at Tavares Middle School, 13032 Lane Park Cutoff Road, Tavares. Attendees are asked to arrive between 7 and 7:30 p.m.

LCSO Master Deputy Bradley Link to be honored with run Wednesday night Read More »

Surveillance video of the suspects Monday night. PHOTO: Lady Lake Police Department

Suspects on the run after stealing $1K worth of liquor from Lady Lake store

Inside Scoop, Lady Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LADY LAKE, Fla.—Lady Lake Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying four people who stole more than $1,000 in liquor from a warehouse club Monday night.

The suspects assaulted an employee at Sam’s Club, 755 North U.S. Highway 441/27, and escaped the scene in a black Mercedes-Benz, license plate L5RTU, Communications Director Elisha Pappacoda said.

*Surveillance video captured the Mercedes-Benz the suspects left in Monday night. PHOTO: Lady Lake Police Department*

The car is registered to a white male transient in the Orlando area and similar incidents have been reported across Florida, with the most recent incident occurring in Palm Beach Gardens. The thefts appear to be related, Pappacoda said.

If you have information, call Det. Jim Dunagan at 352-751-1565 or email jdunagan@ladylake.org.

Suspects on the run after stealing $1K worth of liquor from Lady Lake store Read More »

Lady Lake police remind residents to secure their vehicles following uptick in burglaries

Inside Scoop, Lady Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LADY LAKE, Fla.—Lady Lake Police Department is reminding residents to secure their vehicles following an uptick in vehicle burglaries.

Twelve burglaries were reported over the weekend, 10 in the town limits of Lady Lake and two in Lake County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, Town of Lady Communications Elisha Pappacoda said in a press release.

The burglaries occurred on Ann Avenue, Jennifer Drive, Mark Drive, Silver Oak Avenue and Tarson Boulevard. In each instance, the vehicle was left unlocked and rummaged through, with loose change stolen in most incidents, Pappacoda said.

LLPD suggests residents utilize the following tips to prevent being victimized.

Lock Your Vehicles: Always lock your car doors when the vehicle is unoccupied.

Remove Valuables: Do not leave keys or valuables in your vehicles.

Be Aware: Turn on exterior lights and set your security alarms.

Residents are encouraged to adopt the “9 p.m. Routine,” a nightly practice of securing their homes and vehicles. By doing this, residents can significantly reduce the risk of becoming victims of crimes of opportunity.

“The Lady Lake Police Department relies on the vigilance and cooperation of the community to keep the area safe. If you observe any suspicious activity, please contact the Lady Lake Police Department immediately,” Pappacoda said. “Your awareness and prompt reporting can make a difference in protecting your neighborhood.”

Lady Lake police remind residents to secure their vehicles following uptick in burglaries Read More »

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Bradley Link is escorted by his unit, LCSO’s Agriculture and Marine Unit, Monday morning. Photo courtesy of Paula Sullivan

VIDEO: Hundreds of people line U.S. Highway 27 in support of fallen deputy Monday morning

LEESBURG, Fla.—Hundreds of residents, law enforcement officers and firefighters lined U.S. Highway 27 to pay their respects and show their support for Master Deputy Bradley Link and his coworkers at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Monday morning.

Residents stood in the rain along the 15-mile trek from Leesburg to Minneola, waving flags and saluting Link as he was transported to the funeral home handling his arrangements, bringing tears to the eyes of deputies and residents alike.

VIDEO: Hundreds of people line U.S. Highway 27 in support of fallen deputy Monday morning Read More »

BREAKING NEWS: 911 down in Lake County

Clermont, Eustis, Fruitland Park, Groveland, Howey-in-the-Hills, Inside Scoop, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Mascotte, Minneola, Montverde, Mount Dora, Tavares, Umatilla, Unincorporated Lake / By Staff Report

TAVARES, Fla.—Lake County Public Safety Communications (911) is experiencing intermittent outages due to Hurricane Debby. Residents may not be able to reach dispatchers in an emergency. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call the non-emergency number at 352-343-2101.

BREAKING NEWS: 911 down in Lake County Read More »

Lady Lake police investigating after man found dead in golf cart Sunday night

Inside Scoop, Lady Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LADY LAKE, Fla.—Lady Lake Police Department is investigating after a man was found dead in a golf cart Sunday night.

The 59-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was found after LLPD responded to 1 LaGrande Boulevard and found him unresponsive around 10 p.m. Sunday.

“There were no signs of foul play, however the cause of death is unknown. Police do not believe there is any cause for alarm to the community,” Town of Lady Lake Spokesperson Elisha Pappacoda said in an email.

If you have any information on the man’s death, call LLPD at 352-751-1565.

Lady Lake police investigating after man found dead in golf cart Sunday night Read More »