Montverde

Fourth Annual Lake County Back the Blue Walk Scheduled for Saturday

Around the County, 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

TAVARES, Florida—Law enforcement and supporters will join forces for the fourth annual Lake County Back the Blue Walk at Wooton Park Saturday morning.

Scheduled for 9 a.m., this is one of many law enforcement events around Lake County held in May during Law Enforcement Appreciation Month. In its fourth year, the walk began in 2019 to show support for law enforcement during a time when the “defund the police” movement was making its way across the country, event organizer Shannon Cook told Inside Lake. Representatives from several law enforcement agencies and numerous public officials are expected to be in attendance.

“The good ones needed to know they were appreciated,” Cook said.

Cook has always had respect for law enforcement officers and the job they do, she said. Her close friend, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Wayne Koester, was killed in the line of duty Feb. 9, 2005. Koester, who was 33 at the time, and two other deputies were ambushed while responding to a domestic violence call. All three deputies were shot, and Koester succumbed to his injuries; the other two deputies recovered. Jason Wheeler was shot and paralyzed during his capture and convicted in Koester’s death. Cook was also close to Chris Daniels, who was serving as Lake County Sheriff when he was tragically killed in a charity bus race in 2006 on his birthday.

Shannon Cook shows off one of the many gifts she has for the law enforcement officers who attend the walk Saturday. PHOTO: Shannon Cook

Cook told Inside Lake it is important the community show its support for all of the good officers and those who were lost in the line of duty. Usually a one-woman show, Cook has some help this year from Wayne Koester’s brother, Victor Koester, Jolie Fowler, owner of The Car Doctor Automotive Specialist Inc., in Eustis, Lt. Kristin Thompson of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Nina Rosania, who is very active in the community, especially in her efforts helping out small businesses in Lake County.

Participants will meet a 9 a.m. at Wooton Park, 100 East Ruby Street, Tavares. The first stop will be the Lake County Administration Building, then a stop at the Tavares Public Safety Complex and the walk will end at Kalua Beach Bar with lunch. Donuts will be provided before the walk by Lake Tire & Auto in Tavares, and a hot dog lunch will be available at Kalua Beach Bar, provided by the restaurant and Duct-Man Mechanical LLC in Eustis.

PHOTO: Shannon Cook

Dry Conditions Force Countywide Burn Ban

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

LAKE COUNTY, Florida—Lake County officials imposed a burn ban effective Friday that will last indefinitely, according to a press release.

The burn ban is in effect for all of Lake County and prohibits the burning of yard debris, land and recreational fires but does not include outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills and barbecue pits that have a total fuel area of 3 feet or less and 2 feet or less in height.

Dry conditions forced the move by county officials and surrounding counties have enacted similar bans. For more than three weeks, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) rating has exceeded 500 and the ban is necessary for public safety, the press release stated.

When the KDBI rating falls below 500 for seven consecutive days, the county will lift the ban.

Montverde Man Arrested on Multiple Child Pornography Charges, More than 1,000 Images Found  

Inside Scoop, Montverde / By

MONTVERDE, Florida—A Montverde man is being held on no bond after a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) resulted in a search warrant that revealed more than 1,000 digital child pornography images, some with children younger than 4 years old, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) began investigating Joseph A. Greene, 64, after NCMEC reported Greene had uploaded approximately 500 child pornography images to his Google account between Feb. 18, 2022 and Oct. 25, 2022. FDLE executed a search warrant for his account and found graphic images depicting young girls in various sex acts alone, and with adults, the affidavit states.

There were also numerous images of Greene masturbating with captions referring to children, in addition to photos of a young girl Greene knows. Those images appeared to be taken from social media accounts, according to the affidavit.

A warrant was issued for Greene Wednesday and he was arrested at his home on Omega Court in Montverde Thursday. Greene, who has an active warrant out of Georgia for an undisclosed crime, is facing 20 counts of possession of sexual performance by a child, but there are more than 1,000 additional counts that could be charged, the agent noted in the affidavit.

Greene, who does not have a Florida driver license or ID, has no known family in the area and is a potential flight risk, according to FDLE. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.

Joseph Greene PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff's Office

State Attorney Creates Animal Cruelty Task Force

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

OCALA, Florida—In an effort to streamline delivering justice to those who hurt animals, State Attorney Bill Gladson has created an Animal Cruelty Task Force for the Fifth Judicial Circuit that includes Lake, Citrus, Hernando, Marion and Sumter counties, his office said in a press release last week.

The task force includes the Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC,) county animal services, and local law enforcement agencies and the goal is for law enforcement, animal services and animal protection organizations to work together to investigate and prosecute animal cruelty crimes throughout the circuit, according to the press release.

State Attorney Bill Gladson PHOTO: Florida Bar

“My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting animal cruelty cases, and I am grateful for the team which shares our commitment,” Gladson stated. “The reach of these crimes goes beyond harm to innocent animals; these criminals pose a risk to the entire community.”

Animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, nearly 70 percent have criminal records.

File photo

Windchills in the 20s and 30s Expected this Weekend, Cold Weather Shelters Activated

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

LAKE COUNTY, Florida—For the second time in less than a month, Lake County is scheduled to open two cold weather shelter locations in anticipation of this weekend’s near-freezing temperatures.

Both locations open Friday; Trinity Assembly of God, 200 Urick Street, Fruitland Park will open at 5:30 p.m. and remain open through 7 a.m. each day, Friday through Sunday, and LifePointe Church, 3551 East Orange Avenue will be open 5 p.m. through 8 a.m. each day through Sunday, according to Lake County Emergency Management.

A warming shelter will also be open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday 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. Schedules are available on Lake Xpress’ website. Residents who do not have access to a Lake Xpress fixed route must call 352-742-2612 to arrange transportation.

Friday night, cold temperatures and breezy winds will bring windchills in the upper 20s to lower 30s. A Wind Chill Advisory has been issued for east Central Florida, according to the U.S. National Weather Service, Melbourne.

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

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

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
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Suspect Who Fled Crash that Killed Teen Confessed to FHP, According to Report

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Minneola, Montverde, Unincorporated Lake / By

MONTVERDE, Florida—The man who hit a high school freshman earlier this week was found by his boss using a tracking device and turned over to the Florida Highway Patrol, along with the two occupants who were in the car with him, and the driver confessed to the crime, according to a report.

Owen Wells, 14, a ninth grader at Lake Minneola High School, was killed around 6:20 a.m. Thursday on County Road 455 near Willo Pines Lane when he was struck by a Pontiac G6 being driven by Enrique Ramirez, 57, of Winter Garden. The impact threw the teen into the southbound lane of County Road 455 and Owen was then struck a second time by a Dodge Ram being driven by Jeffrey Bolin, 59, of Ferndale. Bolin stopped after the crash, stayed on scene and gave troopers a statement; Ramirez stopped briefly and then fled the scene, he told troopers.

According to the arrest report, Ramirez said he was “scared” and believed because other people stopped, he did not have to; Ramirez had two of his coworkers in his car when he hit Owen. The trio fled to their boss’ house a few miles away, left the vehicle with the damaged left headlight, picked up a work truck for the landscaping business they work for and went about their day.

Owen Wells and his two younger brothers PHOTO: GoFundMe/Support for the Wells’s Family

Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the vehicle in front of the home just a few miles from the scene of the crash. Troopers responded and observed damage consistent with the crash and it matched “perfectly” to reflectors and mirror housing parts left on the scene, according to the report. They spoke with Esdras Rivera, owner of the landscaping business, who told them Ramirez and his buddies, Alberto Perez Hernandez and Francisco Javier Zacarias Cononado, were “acting weird” and seemed “very short” when they arrived earlier to pick up the work truck.

Rivera told troopers he had a tracking device on the work truck and could locate Ramirez. The Pontiac was towed by FHP for processing with an FHP sergeant following close behind, according to the report. Rivera located Ramirez, Hernandez and Cononado, picked them up and took the trio to the FHP station on Semoran Boulevard in Orlando where they were questioned, the report states. Attempts to reach Rivera for comment were unsuccessful.

 All three were interviewed by troopers and Ramirez admitted he was driving the Pontiac at about 40 miles per hour northbound on County Road 455 when he saw a person’s shadow on the roadway and swerved to avoid the person. He said he struck the person, and the person was struck by a truck, according to the report.

Enrique Ramirez

Ramirez said he stopped briefly, then left the scene because he was “scared” and “others had stopped so he thought he could leave,” the report states. Ramirez’ passengers, Hernandez and Cononado both admitted they were passengers in the car at the time of the crash and fled the scene. They have not been charged and FHP has turned its findings over to the State Attorney’s Office for review, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi told Inside Lake.

Ramirez was arrested for leaving the scene of a crash involving death and transported to the Lake County Jail. Troopers requested no bond when he was booked into the jail, and the bond has since been lowered to $100,000. Ramirez remained in LCJ at press time.

An account has been set up to help support Owen’s family, to donate, visit Support for the Wells Family

The intersection of County Road 455 and Willo Pines Lane in Montverde. PHOTO: Google

Account Created to Support Family of High School Student Tragically Killed Thursday

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Minneola, Montverde, Unincorporated Lake / By

MONTVERDE, Florida—A GoFundMe has been created to help provide financial support to the family of  the Lake Minneola High School freshman who was tragically killed in a hit and run crash Thursday.

The account, created by family friend Derek Kelley, describes 14-year-old Owen Wells as “always smiling” and “always on some adventure”

“Owen had a love of God and a love of life,” Kelley wrote. “Owen had a deep love for his parents. And definitely loved the occasional harassment of his two younger brothers.

The funds collected are slated to pay for Owen’s funeral expenses and to give Owen’s parents, Jim and Beth, time to grieve, Kelley said.

Owen, of Montverde, was the victim of a hit and run crash just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday as he waited for his school bus, according to Kelley.

Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Tara Crescenzi said Owen was crossing the lanes of County Road 455 near Willo Pines Lane when he was struck by a 2007 Pontiac G6 being driven by Enrique Ramirez, 57, of Winter Garden. The impact threw Owen into the southbound lane of County Road 455, where he was struck a second time by a 2006 Dodge Ram being driven by a 59-year-old Ferndale man. Ramirez fled the scene; the driver of the Ram stopped.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies found the Pontiac unoccupied shortly after the crash and FHP investigated and found that Ramirez was the driver. Ramirez was arrested a little over 12 hours after the crash for leaving the scene of a crash involving death. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.

If you would like to donate to the Wells family, click here Support for the Wells Family

Owen Wells and his two younger brothers PHOTO: GoFundMe/Support for the Wells's Family

FHP Arrests Man in Hit and Run Death of Teenager

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Minneola, Montverde, Unincorporated Lake / By

TAVARES, Florida—The man accused of hitting a Lake Minneola High School freshman and leaving the scene shortly before daybreak Thursday has been arrested, the Florida Highway Patrol said Thursday night.

Enrique Ramirez, 57, of Winter Garden was arrested by FHP for leaving the scene of a crash involving death, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said. The boy, whose name was not released, was walking across the lanes of County Road 455 near Willow Pines Lane just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday when he entered the path of a 2007 Pontiac G6 being driven by Ramirez and was struck by the front left of the car. The impact threw the 14-year-old into the southbound lane of County Road 455, where he was struck a second time by a 2006 Dodge Ram being driven by a 59-year-old Ferndale man, Crescenzi said. Ramirez and the driver of the Ram were not injured.

Ramirez fled the scene, and the car was later found by Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies. Troopers questioned the registered owner of the car and their investigation led to Ramirez.

Ramirez was was arrested for hit and run resulting in death. He was transported to the Lake County Jail where he is being held on no bond.

High School Freshman Killed in Hit and Run Thursday Morning

Inside Scoop, Minneola, Montverde / By

MONTVERDE, Florida—A Lake Minneola High School freshman was killed Thursday after he was struck by a car that fled the scene and then struck by a second vehicle as he lay in the southbound lanes of County Road 455, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The boy, whose name has not been released, was walking across the lanes of County Road 455 near Willow Pines Lane just before 6:30 a.m. when he entered the path of a 2007 Pontiac G6 and was struck by the front left of the car. The impact threw the teenager into the southbound lane of County Road 455, where he was struck a second time by a 2006 Dodge Ram being driven by a 59-year-old Ferndale man, FHP Lt Tara Crescenzi said.

The teen was a freshman at Lake Minneola High School, according to Lake County Schools Communications Officer Sherri Owens. The tragedy comes just two days before LCS students go on Thanksgiving break.

“It’s a tough day for all of us, especially those teachers, administrators and classmates who knew him well,” Owens said.

The Pontiac fled the scene and was found unoccupied in an undisclosed location by Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies and was taken into evidence, Crescenzi said. Troopers are interviewing the registered owner of the car and investigating who was driving at the time of the deadly crash. The driver of the Dodge remained on scene, and he was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

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