TAVARES, Florida—Two 13-year-old girls were arrested Thursday after Tavares Middle School (TMS) students reported finding a threat written on a mirror in one of the girls’ bathrooms on campus, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The TMS school resource deputy (SRD) quickly identified two female students who might be responsible from video surveillance at the school and deputies searched their backpacks and found markers that matched the writing on the mirror, LCSO said. Grace Edge, of Mount Dora admitted to writing part of the threat and said her friend Amiya Walker, wrote the second half of the message. Walker denied her involvement, according to an arrest affidavit.
Both girls were arrested for written threats to kill and disruption of a school function, transported to the Lake County Jail and then turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
This is the second incident in a Tavares school this week. On Monday, Freddy Adams, 16 was arrested at Tavares High School after being found with a 9mm handgun in his backpack.
EUSTIS, Florida—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that occurred Thursday, according to LCSO Lt. Fred Jones.
A male was shot at a home on Southland Road in unincorporated Mount Dora around 4:15 p.m. Thursday during a dispute, Jones said.
The man attempted to drive himself to the hospital and had two small children in his vehicle, Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri told Inside Lake. His vehicle came to a rest in the parking lot of Golden Corral, 15810 U.S. Highway 441, Eustis and EPD officers responded and rendered aid, Capri said. The male was later airlifted to an Orlando hospital, Jones said.
This is a developing story.
A man was shot in unincorporated Mount Dora Thursday and attempted to drive himself to the hospital. He came to a stop in the parking lot of the Golden Corral in Eustis. PHOTO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake
MARION COUNTY, Florida—The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that killed a 41-year-old Mount Dora man near Ocala Saturday afternoon.
The man was driving a pickup truck at a high rate of speed southbound on U.S. Highway 441 approaching Northwest 77th Street, when he failed to slow and rear-ended a tractor-trailer, just after 3:15 p.m. Saturday, troopers said.
The Mount Dora man was trapped inside the truck and later pronounced deceased on the scene by Marion County Fire Rescue. The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 32-year-old Jacksonville woman, suffered minor injuries, according to FHP.
MOUNT DORA, Florida—A 67-year-old woman is in the Lake County Jail after a man told a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy she hit him on the head with a frying pan while he was sleeping Thursday.
Around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, an LCSO deputy responded to a home on Westland Road in Mount Dora on a report of a battery. A witness told the deputy she arrived at the residence and Janet Daubenmire Harley, who lives at the home, reportedly said, I’m going to kill that (expletive) or I will pay somebody to kill for me and that,” her arrest affidavit states.
Janet Harley PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Harley then struck the man in the head with a frying pan, the witness told LCSO. The deputy interviewed the victim and he said he was sleeping when Harley struck him in the head with the frying pan; he said he opened his eyes and Harley was standing over him with the frying pan in her hands, ready to strike again. The victim stopped her from hitting him and he punched her in the face, causing her to fall to the floor, according to the affidavit.
Harley then yelled, “He hit me,” as she crawled out of the bedroom, he told LCSO. The victim was treated for his injury and refused to be transported to the hospital. Harley was transported to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares for evaluation from the punch and was medically cleared and taken to the Lake County Jail on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault. She is being held on $6,000 bond.
MOUNT DORA, Florida—Four suspected vehicle burglars were nabbed after a resident notified Mount Dora Police Department his home security system captured them checking the door handles of at least six vehicles early Sunday morning.
MDPD responded to the area of Mount Dora Apartments, 3001 Northland Road just before 5 a.m. Sunday after receiving a 9-1-1 call from a resident who said his cameras captured four teens in an older red Toyota sedan checking door handles, according to several arrest affidavits. An officer located the suspected vehicle nearby at Epic Theaters, 2300 Spring Harbor Boulevard and blocked it in and attempted a traffic stop in the parking lot. The Toyota stopped momentarily before fleeing off the pavement and then drove into a canal, and struck a tree and surrounding brush.
MDPD ordered the occupants out of the car at gunpoint and the foursome complied and were taken into custody and separated. They were identified as J’son Rashad Cyprian, 18, of Orlando, Nickoy Orlando Brown, 16, of Ocoee, Torey Williams, 17, of Minneola, and Joseph Faudy, 15, of Orlando. Police searched the rental car and found a small bag of marijuana in the right, front passenger door pocket and a red and black SCCY 9mm handgun was found tucked under the driver’s seat. Most of the interior of the gun was replaced with aluminum foil, and the plate containing the serial number was removed, the arresting officer noted in the affidavit.
J’son Cyprian PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Officers found a drum magazine with 69 rounds laying on the floorboard of the front passenger seat, and two gloves and an empty holster were found in the back seat, according to the affidavit.
Cyprian, of Orlando, pleaded guilty to armed robbery less than a year ago and was adjudicated delinquent, the equivalent of a conviction for an adult. In this case, he was arrested for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, fleeing and eluding, altering a firearm, attempted burglary and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on $35,000 bond.
Faudy told police he was threatened with violence if he did not participate in the burglaries; he was arrested for attempted burglary and possession of marijuana. Williams and Brown were arrested for attempted burglary. It is unclear if Brown, Faudy and Williams were released to their parents, or if they were turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice, due to incomplete paperwork.
OCALA, Florida—A Leesburg man who was apprehended near a Tavares motel more than a year ago has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Timothy Eric “Tater” Evans, 41, was taken into custody March 3, 2022 near La Bella Inn, 101 West Burleigh Boulevard by multiple agencies on a federal warrant issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) stemming from an incident that occurred in Tavares on May 21, 2021.
In May 2021, Evans was found with a stolen vehicle and an officer with Tavares Police Department searched the stolen vehicle and found MDMA, also known as Molly, and a loaded gun in the center console. A search of Evans’ phone revealed numerous photos of illegal narcotics and guns, along with messages in which Evans was attempting to buy and sell guns, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The gun charge was dropped by the state and picked up by the U.S. Attorney’s Office; Evans pleaded guilty in June 2022.
Evans was later taken into custody in Tavares with the cooperation of multiple agencies, including ATF, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Mount Dora Police Department and Tavares Police Department.
PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
“We assisted ATF, FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) and Mount Dora Police Department in the apprehension of Timothy Evans on an active federal warrant,” TPD Public Information Officer Courtney Sullivan told Inside Lake last year. TPD also transported Evans to the Lake County Jail, according to a report.
According to an MDPD report, officers from that agency assisted with blocking eastbound traffic on U.S. Highway 441 near the motel and Evans and another male were ordered out of the vehicle they were in and taken into custody without incident. The vehicle was then towed to MDPD for secure storage.
Multiple sources, as far back as November 2021, have told Inside Lake Evans, an eight-time convicted felon, is suspected of committing a high-profile crime in the area, but he has never been arrested for the crime. Evans’ case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together many levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and gun violence, the U.S Attorney’s Office said. Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk prosecuted the case.
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.
EUSTIS, Florida—A man has died following a crash that shut down U.S. Highway 441 near the Eustis/Tavares line Saturday night.
Only Inside Lake was on scene of the crash at U.S. Highway 441 and Dillard Road that occurred shortly before 8:30 p.m. Saturday. After receiving a 9-1-1 call, Eustis Police Department arrived at the scene and found two heavily-damaged vehicles, a grey 2001 Jeep SUV and red 2020 Chevrolet Corvette that were approximately 150 feet away from each other. Police are investigating a motorcycle’s possible involvement in the crash, EPD Chief Craig Capri said. The crash shut down U.S. Highway 441 for several hours and Tavares Police Department assisted with traffic control.
The driver of the Jeep, Douglas Johnson, 78, of Ohio, and the driver of the Corvette, Wayne Jean, 33, of Mount Dora, both suffered critical injuries and were airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center. Johnson later died from his injuries; Jean’s last known condition was serious, according to EPD.
A crash victim is airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center following a two-vehicle collision on U.S. Highway 441 in Eustis Saturday night in this screenshot taken from a live video. Click here to see our video coverage. VIDEO: Jolie Fowler/Inside Lake
Police believe Johnson was traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 441 when he switched into the left turning lane and attempted to make a U-turn to travel southbound. As Johnson attempted the U-turn, he was struck by the Corvette. The Jeep flipped into the air and the Corvette traveled off the roadway, nearly into the parking lot of Kohl’s, 2700 East Burleigh Boulevard.
The impact was so severe, it ripped off the Jeep’s bumper, turned the front wheels in opposite directions and crushed the hood. The Corvette was also heavily damaged; the hood was missing, along with both front tires and the front windshield was caved in. One of the car’s brakes was located west of the car, in the grass, according to the report. Jean, the driver of the Corvette, had to be extricated from the vehicle.
Two witnesses told EPD the Corvette was speeding before the crash and one of them spoke exclusively to Inside Lake.
“I was on (U.S. Highway) 441 headed south,” Carl Simple said. “The Vette was easily doing 80 to 100 miles per hour passing me. They were changing lanes like crazy.” Less than five minutes later, Simple drove up on the crash and started helping out.
The crash remains under investigation.
Officers with Tavares Police Department assist with traffic control following a crash on U.S. Highway 441 in Eustis Saturday night. PHOTO: Jolie Fowler/Inside Lake
TAVARES, Florida—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has increased the reward for a man who ditched his DUI manslaughter trial earlier this month and arrested his girlfriend for assisting him.
Zachery Maurice Waldo, 36, was on trial earlier this month for killing Christopher Smith, 44, his wife, Jessica Smith, 35, and their daughter Hailey Smith, 13, all of Eustis, more than three years ago. Their son Hunter, just 11 years old, was the sole survivor in the vehicle his family was riding in. Christopher and Jessica died on the scene of the Christmas Eve 2019 crash and Hailey died on Christmas Day 2019.
Earlier this month, as his trial was underway, Waldo left the Lake County Courthouse on a lunch break and never came back; Waldo was out on bond for the crimes and that is why he was allowed to leave the courthouse during the break. Leesburg Police Department, LCSO and U.S. Marshals began searching for him immediately and he was found guilty in absentia by a jury the same day.
Last week, LPD and the U.S. Marshals searched the home of Waldo’s girlfriend, Melinesia Shauntel Jones, 32, on East Street, near Dixie Avenue, in Leesburg but nobody was home, LPD Capt. Joe Iozzi told Inside Lake last week.
On Monday, Jones was arrested on a Lake County warrant by U.S, Marshals and LCSO on a traffic stop on Vine Street in Leesburg, according to LCSO. Jones is facing numerous charges including principal to failure to appear, accessory after the fact to DUI manslaughter, false info to law enforcement in a felony investigation, and accessory after the fact to DUI with serious bodily injury. She is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.
The probable cause affidavit in Jones’ has been sealed by a judge, so no other details are available.
The day of Jones’ arrest, LCSO announced the reward for information leading to Waldo’s capture was increased to $10,000—$5,000 from Crimeline and an additional $5,000 from the Florida Sheriff’s Association Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program.
If you have information on Waldo’s whereabouts, call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
TAVARES, Florida—A man on trial this week for killing three members of the same family on Christmas Eve 2019 is on the run after leaving his trial during a lunch break and never coming back—and was convicted the same day, according to Lake County Clerk of Court docket information.
Zachery Maurice Waldo, 36, is accused of killing Christopher Smith, 44, his wife, Jessica Smith,35, and their daughter Hailey Smith, 13, all of Eustis. Their son Hunter, just 11 years old, was the sole survivor in the vehicle his family was riding in. Christopher and Jessica died on the scene of the Christmas Eve 2019 crash and Hailey died on Christmas Day 2019.
Waldo was driving a 2019 Dodge Ram eastbound on Dixie Avenue, approaching Dozier Court when a 2018 Toyota Corolla being driven Christopher Smith attempted to make a left turn on Dozier Court. The front of the Ram struck the right side of the Corolla, killing the couple and injuring Hailey and Hunter, Leesburg Police Capt. Joe Iozzi said in 2019.
The event data recorder (EDR) for the Ram recorded the Ram’s speed at 84.5 mph one tenth of a second from the time of impact, but just 2 seconds before, the Ram was traveling at 96.3 mph, according to a report. The posted speed limit is 35 mph, and a witness told LPD the Ram did not slow down, and the brake lights did not illuminate. A witness also put Waldo behind the wheel just before the crash and DNA confirmed, Iozzi said.
Waldo and his passenger, Kevin Cunningham, 33 at the time, were taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center for their injuries. LPD obtained hospital records and Waldo was found to have an alcohol level twice the legal limit, along with amphetamines and benzos in his system, according to the report.
Upon searching the Ram, LPD found a loaded Ruger .40 caliber handgun stolen from Mount Dora, six sandwich bags containing 157.8 grams of marijuana and six cell phones, according to the report.
Lake County Courthouse PHOTO: Inside Lake
LPD obtained a warrant for Waldo’s arrest in August 2020 and he was nabbed by Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies and the U.S. Marshals. They were performing surveillance and spied Waldo get into a black Dodge SUV. Waldo drove out of a neighborhood on Chain O Lakes Road and rolled a stop sign at County Road 44, according to an arrest affidavit. An LCSO deputy attempted a traffic stop and Waldo sped off, running other vehicles off the road. Multiple USMS and LCSO units attempted to stop Waldo and he struck an LCSO patrol car and crashed through a fence on Tall Oak Court, the affidavit states.
Waldo fled on foot and hid in the bushes of a home on Grand Island Oaks Circle and asked for a ride from a man returning home from work. The man denied him the ride and Waldo took off again and jumped over a fence to Laurel Crest Court. He was found lying on the ground wearing nothing but underwear, the affidavit states.
He was charged with a litany of offenses from the crash and his apprehension and was taken to the Lake County where he was released three days later on $148,000 bond.
He disappeared Tuesday, on the second day of his trial and he was tried and found guilty in absentia. If you have information on Waldo’s whereabouts, call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
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