LEESBURG, Fla.—Leesburg Police Department has released the name of the man found dead near Ski Beach Monday night.
Lucious W. Austin, 67, was spotted in Lake Harris near Ski Beach Bar and Grill around 7:15 p.m. and LPD, along with Leesburg Fire Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search and Recovery Team responded to the scene and recovered Austin, LPD Sgt. Shannon Walsh said.
Austin was turned over to the medical examiner (ME) and the preliminary investigation does not indicate foul play, Walsh said. LPD is still awaiting the ME’s final report and said Tuesday the department was investigating the incident as a possible drowning.
If you have information, call LPD at 352-787-2121 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS; Crimeline callers may be eligible for a reward.
LEESBURG, Fla.—Leesburg Police Department is investigating after a man’s body was found floating in Lake Harris near Ski Beach Monday night.
The man’s body was spotted near Ski Beach Bar and Grill around 7:15 p.m. and Leesburg Fire Department (LFD) responded with its boat, along with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search and Recovery Team. The man’s body was recovered, and he was turned over to the medical examiner’s office to determine cause of death, but police believe it may have been a drowning, LPD Sgt. Shannon Walsh said.
Police have identified the man, described as a 67-year-old black male, but have not released his identity pending notification of next of kin, Walsh said.
If you have information, call LPD at 352-787-2121 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS; Crimeline callers may be eligible for a reward.
LEESBURG, Fla.—Leesburg Police Department has located a vehicle believed to be involved in the murder of a 20-year-old man Monday.
James Jordan was found lying in the yard of a home in the 2200 block of Aitken Loop in Overlook at Lake Griffin around 2:30 p.m. Monday suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to UF Health Leesburg, where he died from his injuries, LPD Sgt. Shannon Walsh said.
LPD located and seized the vehicle believed to be involved, and executed search warrants on the vehicle and the location it was recovered from, Walsh said. LPD has not released the location, or the make and model of the vehicle.
“Several items of evidentiary value were recovered,” Walsh said in an email. “Detectives continue to work on this case actively.”
If you have information on Jordan’s death, call LPD at 352-787-2121 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS; Crimeline callers may be eligible for a reward.
LEESBURG, Fla.—Leesburg Police Department is investigating after a 20-year-old man was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds Monday afternoon.
LPD responded to Aitkin Loop in Overlook at Lake Griffin around 2:30 p.m. Monday in reference to a shooting and found James Jordan in the front yard of a home in the 2200 block, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, LPD Sgt. Shannon Walsh said.
Officers rendered aid to Jordan until EMS and Leesburg Fire Department arrived and Jordan was transported to UF Health Leesburg, where he succumbed to his injuries.
LPD set up a perimeter and utilized a K9 unit and LPD detectives and CSI responded to the scene, Walsh said.
If you have information on Jordan’s death, call LPD at 352-787-2121 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS; Crimeline callers may be eligible for a reward.
This is LPD’s second homicide in just over a month. On May 30, Raied “Ray” Shihadeh, 51, was shot and killed at Fast Stop Superette, 3702 Picciola Road, on May 30 during an armed robbery of the store. Alex Lopez was arrested for the crime late last month and is being held on no bond at the Lake County Jail.
TAVARES, Fla.—The man police believe is responsible for the murder of a Leesburg store owner was booked into the Lake County Jail Friday morning.
Alex Lopez, 25, is facing charges of premeditated murder, armed robbery and two other weapons offenses, and is being held on no bond.
Lopez was on the run for nearly a month, while Leesburg Police Department worked with state, federal and local agencies to track him down and finally located him at a motel in Kissimmee around 7 p.m. Wednesday, Leesburg Police Department Sgt. Shannon Walsh said. He was taken into custody by the FDLE/Orlando – Violent Crime Task Force.
“We located him using collaborative investigative measures,” Walsh told Inside Lake.
Lopez 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. LPD will not confirm how much money was taken in the robbery, but a post created by Shihadeh’s wife, Monique, on a fundraising platform states it was less than $100. In the same post, Monique also stated her husband was killed on their daughter’s 16th birthday, making an already tragic situation much more heartbreaking.
Raied “Ray” Shihadeh. Photo courtesy of Monique Shihadeh
Inside Lake spoke with Monique by text Thursday and she said, “Our family is happy about his capture. We are preparing for this continuous and long journey that we will be on but praying for strength.”
Monique posted about her husband in numerous Facebook groups throughout the last few weeks asking for help locating Lopez and informing the public of a reward offered by Crimeline, in addition to money raised and added to the reward by her family.
Lopez grew up in Eustis and Sorrento, several sources have told Inside Lake. His next court date is scheduled for July 22.
LEESBURG, Fla.—The man accused of gunning down a Leesburg store owner late last month is in custody, according to Leesburg Police Department.
Alex Lopez, 25, of Wildwood, was captured in Kissimmee by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Violent Crimes Task Force, LPD Sgt. Shannon Walsh said.
On the run for nearly a month, Lopez is accused of killing Raied Shihadeh, 51, at Fast Stop Superette, 3702 Picciola Road, on May 30 and fleeing the scene. Shihadeh was airlifted to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, where he died from his injuries, Walsh said last month.
Lopez is facing charges of premeditated murder, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and using a firearm during a felony.
LEESBURG, Fla.—A man was arrested after he was accused of exposing his genitals to three people in the middle of the day on a busy highway during a road rage incident Sunday afternoon.
Shortly before 3:15 p.m. Sunday, a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a report of a road rage incident and indecent exposure. One of the victims told the deputy they were traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 27 when they slowed due to heavy rain, according to an arrest affidavit.
A speeding silver Kia Optima swerved around their vehicle and cut them off. The Optima continued to be operated “aggressively,” speeding up and coming to a complete stop in front of victims’ vehicle, then driving beside them while someone threw objects and screamed at them, one of the victims told LCSO.
The victims pulled over at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and Plantation Boulevard to get the make, model and license plate of the Optima when it pulled over ahead of them. The driver, later identified as James Cary Box, 56, got out and began to charge toward the victims’ car, the affidavit states.
Box then allegedly pulled his shorts down to his knees and exposed his genitals, grabbing them with both hands and shaking them toward the victims. Two of the three victims screamed and looked away, and Box apparently left the scene.
One of the victims provided photos of the Optima and Box to the deputy, and when the deputy went to Box’s Leesburg home, he was still wearing the same clothes, according to the affidavit. Box denied being involved in a road rage incident and said the victims must be confused. He was arrested for exposure of sexual organs and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was released on $1,000 bond.
TAVARES, Fla.—Each June, more than 40,000 amateur radio operators, known as “hams” set up temporary transmitting stations in public places throughout North America to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill, and service to our communities and nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933 and remains the most popular event in ham radio. The competitive aspect of Field Day is to contact as many other amateur stations as possible between 2 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
The public is invited to attend the event in Tavares this weekend that will showcase mobile command vehicles from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Amateur Radio Association (LARA.) It will be held at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Training Bureau and Lake Tech Institute of Public Safety Weapons and Driving Range, 13000 Frankies Road, Tavares.
LARA consistently wins top honors each year in Florida and North America. The club was established in 1952 by a local group of radio amateurs and now has a membership of over 150 “Hams.” LARA’s vast radio systems enable worldwide communications, amplifying the club’s impact and reach. For their life-saving work, hams worldwide have received commendations and international praise.
LEESBURG, Fla.—The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating an incident that involved a child jumping out of a moving SUV in unincorporated Leesburg Wednesday, Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said.
A 2007 Dodge Durango was traveling northbound on County Road 33 with its windows down when the 6-year-old boy jumped out near Chipmunk Drive, Garcia said.
The boy was transported to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children with serious injuries; the driver, a 36-year-old woman from Okahumpka, was not injured. The relationship between the boy and the woman was not released.
FLORIDA—The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting a license-free freshwater fishing weekend Saturday and Sunday
Florida residents and visitors of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to try recreational fishing this weekend and FWC has helpful resources for new anglers to get started.
Largemouth bass are Florida’s most popular freshwater fish and if you catch one 8 pounds or heavier, submit it to TrophyCatch. There is a special promotion this season where pink-tagged bass are swimming and worth extra prizes in five waterbodies across the state. Try your luck and you could even win sunglasses just for fishing in these five waters!
All other rules, such as seasons, bag and size limits apply during license-free fishing weekend.
Keep the fun going all year and buy a recreational freshwater fishing license, to renew or purchase a fishing license, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
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