Around the County

2 killed, Tavares man airlifted following head-on crash in no-passing zone near Paisley Friday

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—Two people are dead after a speeding car crashed into them head-on in a no-passing zone near Paisley Friday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Shortly after 7 p.m., a 26-year-old Tavares man was speeding eastbound in a 2015 Ford Mustang on County Road 42 when he attempted to pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone near Lazy Lake Road, FHP said.

He crashed into a 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 traveling westbound on County Road 42, killing the driver and a passenger. The pair had not been identified at press time and County Road 42 remains closed as FHP investigates. The Tavares man was airlifted to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford with serious injuries.

2 killed, Tavares man airlifted following head-on crash in no-passing zone near Paisley Friday Read More »

Clermont teen killed in collision with tree early New Year’s Day

CLERMONT, Fla.—A teenager was killed early Wednesday after running off the road and hitting a tree, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m., a 17-year-old male was driving a 2003 Chevy S-10 eastbound on County Road 474, west of Hilochee Ridge Road in unincorporated Clermont when he left the road for an unknown reason, FHP said.

The pickup truck struck a tree, and the teen was pronounced deceased on the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

Clermont teen killed in collision with tree early New Year’s Day Read More »

VIDEO: New Year’s Eve explosion rocks neighbors near Mount Dora, sends resident to the hospital

MOUNT DORA, Fla.—A home was reduced to rubble and trapped a resident New Year’s Eve night after an explosion in unincorporated Mount Dora, a neighbor told Inside Lake.

The home on West Main Street in Mount Dora Estates, formerly known as Riley’s Park, “exploded,” around 9:30 p.m. with the resident inside, according to a neighbor, Jeremy Jenkins. The man was initially trapped by rubble and debris but was able to get out and he was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Jenkins provided video to Inside Lake that showed the aftermath and described what he saw.

Video courtesy of Jeremy Jenkins

Jenkins was “sound asleep” when his wife, Dottie heard something hitting the side of the house and then a “huge explosion,” he told Inside Lake. She woke him up and when they went outside, “debris covered the ground like snow and several windows on the side of our house had been blown out.”

Other neighbors came outside, and they realized their neighbor’s car was in the driveway buried under the debris. They heard the man from underneath the rubble and began digging him out. First responders arrived at the scene and rendered aid to the man until he was transported by helicopter to a local hospital. His condition and the cause of the explosion were unknown at press time.

VIDEO: New Year’s Eve explosion rocks neighbors near Mount Dora, sends resident to the hospital Read More »

Eustis woman killed in wrong-way Christmas Eve crash in Orange County

TANGERINE, Fla.—A Eustis woman was killed late Christmas Eve night after a wrong-way driver crashed into her near the Orange County/Lake County line, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

At 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, a 62-year-old woman was driving a 2018 Audi Q3 southbound in the outside lane on Orange Blossom Trail, also known as U.S. Highway 441, north of Wadsworth Road when a 2008 Kia Optima, traveling northbound in the southbound lane, collided with her head-on.

The Eustis woman was pronounced deceased on the scene; the driver of the Kia, a 39-year-old Orlando man, was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center with serious injuries, FHP said. The crash remains under investigation.

Eustis woman killed in wrong-way Christmas Eve crash in Orange County Read More »

BREAKING NEWS: Santa Claus is coming to town

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—At press time Christmas Eve, the jolly fellow best known as Santa Claus was last spotted in Lithuania and had delivered more than 3 billion gifts, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD.)

Little boys and girls can track the big guy’s movements online as he makes his way across the world with his trusty reindeer crew, by visiting NORAD Tracks Santa.

NORAD began tracking Santa in 1958 after taking over the duty from the U.S. Air Force.

BREAKING NEWS: Santa Claus is coming to town Read More »

Fruitland Park man admits to robbing grandparents at knifepoint

FRUITLAND PARK, Fla.—A Fruitland Park man remains in the Lake County Jail on $28,500 bond, accused of robbing his grandparents and threatening to slice their throats.

Shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday, Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home in unincorporated Fruitland Park on a report of a robbery that occurred Friday night. Richard French told a deputy his wife, Shirley, had just left the home with his grandson Kyle Davis Blowers, 36, to get gas. French said around 9 p.m. Blowers came into their bedroom, approached them with a knife and reportedly said, “I want the money, I need your debit card now, or I am going to slice your throats.” In fear for their lives, according to Richard French, Shirley French retrieved the debit card, gave it to Blowers and he left, according to an arrest affidavit.

Blowers’ grandfather went on to tell the deputy his grandson had brandished a weapon and demanded money multiple times and it was an “ongoing issue.” He said his grandson had been diagnosed with a mental health condition and stopped taking his medication last week.

On Sunday, Blowers demanded the debit card again and his grandmother told him she would go with him to get money and they left together in a blue Dodge Ram. A family member told LCSO Blowers has a history of stealing money from his grandparents, and she fears he will kill them. She provided Shirley French’s location through a tracking app and Fruitland Park Police Department assisted LCSO and responded to Walmart, 2501 Citrus Boulevard and pulled the Dodge Ram over as it exited the parking lot, the affidavit states.

Shirley French told deputies her grandson demanded she buy a $400 Apple gift card, and she bought it because she fears him, and she told deputies three months ago, he placed his hands around her neck and she was sore after, but she never lost her ability to breathe. She said her grandson has taken money from her on numerous occasions, totaling more than $1,000, and she fears he will kill her and her husband if he is released from jail.

Blowers admitted to deputies he did brandish a knife while demanding money from his grandparents, and he was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail. He is facing charges of robbery with a weapon, battery on a person 65 or older and grand theft. Blowers is a registered sex offender, stemming from a 2008 conviction of sexual misconduct with a minor in Jay County, Indiana, according to his Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sexual Offender Flyer. He was 20 years old at the time of his conviction.

Fruitland Park man admits to robbing grandparents at knifepoint Read More »

Head-on collision kills Leesburg woman Monday

GROVELAND, Fla.—The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that killed a Leesburg woman and seriously injured a Mascotte woman Monday afternoon.

Shortly before 12:15 p.m., a 36-year-old Leesburg woman was driving a 2008 Chevrolet HHR southbound on County Road 33 near Soto Road in unincorporated Groveland when she failed to maintain her lane and hit and 2015 Ford Fusion being driven by a 43-year-old Mascotte woman, head-on, seriously injuring her.

Both drivers were transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where the Leesburg woman succumbed to her injuries. The crash closed County Road 33 for nearly seven hours.

Head-on collision kills Leesburg woman Monday Read More »

Missing boy recovered safe, grandmother facing kidnapping and drug charges

TAVARES, Fla.—The 5-year-old boy kidnapped by his grandmother has been recovered safe and has a history of violence in his family, according to police and public records.

Less than two hours after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement pushed an Amber Alert for Jace Saunders, his grandmother, Kelly DaSilva, showed up at Lady Lake Police Department with the boy, who was healthy and unharmed.

Tavares Police Department detectives responded to Lady Lake and took DaSilva, 50, into custody, TPD Public Information Officer Courtney Sullivan said. She was transported to Tavares Police Department for questioning and Jace was turned over to the Department of Children and Families. After questioning, DaSilva was arrested for kidnapping and interference with child custody and upon being taken to the Lake County Jail, staff found methamphetamine on DaSilva as she was being booked and she is facing additional charges of possession of methamphetamine and introduction of contraband into a detention facility. Her booking information and mugshot were not available at press time.

TPD and DCF responded to a home on Tara Drive Sunday afternoon to remove Jace from a relative’s custody. When they arrived, Jace was not at the home and was reportedly on a golf cart ride with a family friend, Mitchell Morris. The relative called Morris and asked him to return Jace, but instead he met DaSilva at a nearby park and gave Jace to her, Sullivan said.

Morris was arrested for interference of child custody; Jace’s parents, Taylor Judy, 27, and Brandon Saunders, 39, were also arrested for interference of child custody for failing to cooperate with law enforcement. Judy and Saunders were both “verbally hostile” and stated Jace would not be turned over to DCF, Sullivan said in a Monday morning press conference.

Sullivan said TPD is familiar with Jace’s family and there is a history of domestic issues. According to an arrest affidavit, in 2020, Saunders was arrested for battery by strangulation for choking Judy two separate times and wrestling her phone away from her during an argument as she tried to leave with Jace when he was just a baby. Judy explained to Sullivan, who was the arresting officer in that case, Saunders had battered her on three separate occasions prior to that day. Those charges were reduced to a battery charge and Saunders pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to probation.

In 2022, Saunders was arrested twice, once in March and again in May, after being accused of battering Judy on both occasions. In the March case, Saunders pleaded no contest again and was again sentenced to probation. The charges in the May case were transferred to misdemeanor court, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 75 days in jail. In July 2023, he was arrested again for battering Judy and his bond was revoked. While he was in jail, he violated a no victim contact order using his own account and the accounts of other inmates to call Judy 303 times. He was arrested for 15 counts of violating pre-trial conditions and four counts of tampering with a witness. The tampering charges were dropped, and he pleaded no contest to all 15 counts of violating pre-trial and conditions and was sentenced to 364 days in jail with credit for 163 days, time served. He was released in May 2024.

This is the second familial kidnapping in Lake County this year; Dixie Williams is accused of kidnapping her two daughters, Tilli and Natalia from a Sorrento foster home Jan. 25. Williams was captured in Louisiana just a day later, and the girls were recovered safe. Williams’ case is still open and last week her attorney, Assistant Public Defender Mona Payne filed a motion for a court-appointed psychological evaluation.

Missing boy recovered safe, grandmother facing kidnapping and drug charges Read More »

FHP finds driver who caused deadly crash outside Eustis, charges pending

EUSTIS, Fla.—A tractor-trailer driver who caused a deadly crash Wednesday and left the scene told the Florida Highway Patrol he did not know he hit anyone, according to a press release.

Just after 1:45 p.m., a 58-year-old Miami man was driving a 2017 Volvo tractor-trailer eastbound on State Road 44 and attempted to slow down for traffic. The driver lost control of the trailer, causing it to veer into the westbound lane of State Road 44 near Forest Ridge Road in unincorporated Eustis.

The trailer struck a 2014 Nissan Sentra being driven westbound by an 89-year-old Eustis woman, and the impact sent the Nissan into the eastbound lane of State Road 44 where it struck a 2018 Ford E-450 head-on.

The Florida Highway Patrol investigates after a chain reaction crash killed a woman on State Road 44 Wednesday. PHOTO: Courtesy of Sandie Boyer Deal

The tractor-trailer driver continued traveling eastbound and left the scene, FHP said. The tractor-trailer, with damages consistent with the crash, was located traveling westbound on State Road 44, east of County Road 42, and troopers conducted a traffic stop. The Miami man told troopers he did not know the trailer collided with the Nissan, FHP said.

“Troopers are now processing (the tractor-trailer) as evidence. Charges are pending,” FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said. 

The driver of the Nissan was airlifted to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford, where she was pronounced deceased. The driver of the Ford, a 72-year-old man of DeBary, was not injured, but four of his 12 passengers were transported to an area hospital with minor injuries. The passengers were three females, aged 76, 79 and 81, and one male, 81, all of Orange City in Volusia County.

The crash shut down an extended portion of State Road 44 for nearly seven hours.  

 

FHP finds driver who caused deadly crash outside Eustis, charges pending Read More »

Hit-and-run crash causes head-on collision, kills woman, and shuts down SR 44 Wednesday

Update: FHP finds driver who caused deadly crash outside Eustis, charges pending – Inside Lake

 

EUSTIS, Fla.—A hit-and-run driver caused a chain reaction crash that killed a woman Wednesday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Just after 1:45 p.m., a tractor-trailer with a blue cab and silver trailer was eastbound on State Road 44, and attempted to slow down for traffic. The driver lost control of the trailer, causing it to veer into the westbound lane of State Road 44 near Forest Ridge Road in unincorporated Eustis.

The trailer struck a 2014 Nissan Sentra being driven by a woman who troopers had not positively identified at press time. The impact redirected the Nissan into the eastbound lane of State Road 44 where it struck a 2018 Ford E-450 head-on.

The tractor-trailer driver continued traveling eastbound and did not stop, FHP said. The driver of the Nissan was airlifted to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford, where she was pronounced deceased. The driver of the Ford, a 72-year-old man of DeBary, was not transported to the hospital, but multiple passengers in the Ford were transported with minor injuries.

State Road 44 is currently shut down between County Road 42 and Royal Trails Boulevard. If you have information on the crash, or the driver who did not remain on the scene, call FHP at 407-737-2213 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.  

Hit-and-run crash causes head-on collision, kills woman, and shuts down SR 44 Wednesday Read More »

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