Around the County

EUSTIS, Florida—A 17-year-old male was rushed to the hospital after getting shot in the face at Sunset Island Park Saturday, according to Eustis Police Department.   Multiple people were at the park when an unknown vehicle drove by and fired off shots shortly before 6 p.m. at the park, located at 409 West Ward Avenue. The park features a basketball court, playground equipment, grills picnic tables and a skate park. “It looks like they were having some kind of party,” EPD Chief Craig Capri said. The teen, whose name has not been released, was out of surgery and in stable

EUSTIS, Florida—It has been 9 months since Craig Capri became the chief of Eustis Police Department. And in those 9 months, the department has seen an numerous changes, including the promotions of nearly 22 percent of its sworn officers. Quite a change from a department that under its last chief, Gary Calhoun, saw a tremendous amount of turnover and had six open positions when Calhoun left the office in 2021. EPD is a small department with only 41 sworn law enforcement positions, including Capri. There are just two open positions with the recent swearing-in of two new officers earlier this

EUSTIS, Florida—A motorcyclist is dead following a crash shortly before sundown Saturday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. A 69-year-old man from Missouri was riding a motorcycle southbound on State Road 19 at 5:33 p.m. when he attempted to turn right to travel west on County Road 19A, near Dam Smoker. He lost control, struck a sign and overturned in a ditch, FHP Lt. Kim Montes said in a press release. The man was ejected and transported to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares, where he was pronounced dead. It is unknown if the man was wearing a helmet, Montes said.

MOUNT DORA, Florida— “We’re gonna take over and go crazy!” Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri’s announcement to 22 children and their caregivers early Sunday morning was met with claps and cheers as they made their way into Walmart in Mount Dora to spend gift cards that were generously donated by the community, including the AMVETS and current and retired employees. “This day would not be possible without the AMVETS,” Capri told Inside Lake. Capri was joined by his two thirds of his command staff, Capts. Ken Toler and Dave Carney, and several of his road patrol officers and administrative staff, in

EUSTIS, Florida—A man was found dead of a suspected overdose Wednesday at an embattled motel that is at risk of foreclosure due to code enforcement fines. Eustis Police responded to Colonial Inn, 1000 S. Bay Street, around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday after motel workers found an unresponsive man in a locked room, EPD Chief Craig Capri told Inside Lake. Responding officers found a 36-year-old man dead with a needle, and bags of suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl underneath his body.   There were no signs of a struggle or foul play and the man is scheduled for an autopsy Thursday. He has

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Florida—A man and woman, both of Eustis were seriously injured Wednesday after the vehicle they were in was struck head-on around noon Wednesday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. A 76-year-old woman of Deland was driving a Ford truck westbound on East New York Avenue near DeLand when she traveled over the yellow line for an unknown reason, FHP Lt. Kim Montes said in a press release. She hit a truck being driven by a 64-year-old Eustis man, head-on, seriously injuring the man and his passenger, a 64-year-old woman, also of Eustis.  They were transported to Central Florida

EUSTIS, Florida— More than 100 special needs clients and caregivers came out to the Eustis Community Center Wednesday to meet Eustis first responders in the city’s first-ever Public Safety Engagement Day; an event aimed at engaging members of the special needs community with first responders in a relaxed atmosphere. The event included demonstrations from Eustis Police Department’s K-9 unit and the SWAT bus was on hand for participants to look at. Participants also had an opportunity to hold a shield and try on body armor and check out a fire truck with Eustis Fire Department.  Numerous firefighters and officers were

EUSTIS, Florida—In response to complaints about drug activity, Eustis Police Department, along with Mid Florida SWAT served a search warrant at a home on Woodward Avenue early Friday morning, according to EPD Chief Craig Capri. “We needed to get out there and take care of it,” Capri told Inside Lake. Two people were in the home at 357 W. Woodward Avenue Apartment B, including Antwan T. Cross, 34, and an elderly woman. Cross, who turns 35 Saturday, was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia and violation of probation. The woman is not facing any charges. 

EUSTIS, Florida—A man is facing drug and burglary charges after a witness saw him break into a local church and run from police last week. A nearby business owner spotted Chabazz Rionte Belle, 20, throw a bag onto the roof and enter Gethsemane Baptist Church, 505 S. Bay Street, around 8 a.m. Wednesday and he called Eustis Police Department, according to an arrest affidavit. EPD responded and attempted to get in the building but found all the doors were locked. A church official responded to the scene with a key and officers announced themselves, causing Belle to flee the building.