Unincorporated Lake Archives - Page 2 of 39

Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri is honoring Lake County Sheriff's Office Master Deputy Bradley Link in this year's Tour de Force 9/11 Memorial Bike Ride. Courtesy photo

Eustis police chief rides for fallen deputy

Eustis, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

MARYLAND—For 13 years, Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri has been riding his bicycle to honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and fallen law enforcement officers around the country during the Tour de Force 9/11 Memorial Bike Ride, and this year the ride means a bit more— he is riding for fallen Lake County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Bradley Link.

The memorial ride started in 2002 and has since evolved into honoring both the victims of 9/11 and law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.

“This year I’m dedicating my ride to Master Deputy Link, who made the ultimate sacrifice” Capri said. “(The loss of Link) touched everybody in Lake County.”

Participants started their four-day ride Friday and will travel about 180 miles to honor and raise money for the families of law enforcement officers who lost their lives. The route participants ride is not publicly released for safety reasons.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 4,723 law enforcement officers have lost their lives since 2001. That figure does not include law enforcement officers who died in 2024.

Capri, an avid bicyclist in his off-time, said he plans on participating in this annual event until he is in his 90s because it is so important to him.

“We honor the memory of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” Capri told Inside Lake. “We can never forget these heroes.”

Link’s photo will be affixed to Capri’s bicycle for the entire ride through Maryland and Delaware.

Eustis police chief rides for fallen deputy Read More »

Lake County Sheriff's Office Deputy Stefano Gargano was released from the hospital Monday and escorted to Lake County by multiple Central Florida law enforcement agencies. Courtesy photo

LCSO deputy released from the hospital Monday

Eustis, Inside Scoop, Tavares, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

TAVARES, Fla.—Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Stefano Gargano has been released from the hospital.

More than 100 fellow law enforcement officers, friends and family members lined the sidewalk to welcome Gargano as he was released from HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford, exactly one month after he was shot while attempting to rescue Master Deputy Bradley Link Aug. 2 from a home outside of Eustis. He was escorted to Lake County by multiple law enforcement agencies across Central Florida under a bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds.

Gargano was shot multiple times, as he and a team entered the home of Michael, Julie, Cheyenne and Savannah Sulpizio, to rescue Link after he was shot multiple times and trapped in the home. Link succumbed to his injuries.

K9 Master Deputy Harold Howell was also shot; he was released from the hospital Aug. 6 and has been recovering at his home.

Michael, Cheyenne and Savannah Sulpizio all died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Julie Sulpizio, who set the tragic night in motion by starting an altercation with her neighbors, was Baker Acted from the scene before the shootings occurred. She was later indicted on charges of principal to premeditated murder of a law enforcement officer, three counts of principal to attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, conspiracy to commit murder, battery on law enforcement officer and three counts of battery.

Previous story: BREAKING NEWS: Matriarch indicted for ambush of deputies – Inside Lake

LCSO deputy released from the hospital Monday Read More »

Woman killed after crashing into concrete barrier on Florida’s Turnpike late Saturday, Fruitland Park man not injured

Fruitland Park, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—A Crystal River woman has died after crashing into a concrete barrier on Florida’s Turnpike Saturday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Shortly before 11 :15 p.m., the 66-year-old Crystal River woman was driving a 2021 Buick Enclave northbound near mile marker 283 in the South Lake County area, when she failed to negotiate a slight curve and entered the inside paved shoulder. The Enclave struck a barrier, rotated and collided with the outside shoulder barrier and then struck a 2015 Toyota Rav4 being driven by an 82-year-old Fruitland Park Man, FHP said.

The Crystal River woman was transported to UF Health Leesburg Hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The Fruitland Park man was not injured.

Woman killed after crashing into concrete barrier on Florida’s Turnpike late Saturday, Fruitland Park man not injured Read More »

Driver killed after tree falls on truck and causes crash near Clermont, 2 passengers hospitalized

Clermont, Groveland, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

CLERMONT, Fla.—A Groveland man was killed, and his two passengers injured, after a tree fell on the truck he was driving, causing him to crash into a dump truck Tuesday afternoon near Clermont, according the Florida Highway Patrol.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m., the 58-year-old Groveland man was westbound on County Road 474 in a 2017 Ford F-350 with a trailer attached, when a tree from the north shoulder fell on the truck, Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said. The impact of the tree caused the Ford to enter the eastbound lane, and the left side of the Ford collided with the left side of a 2004 Mack dump truck.

The Ford’s driver, and his front seat passenger, a 40-year-old Groveland woman, were airlifted to Osceola Regional Hospital in critical condition. The man was later pronounced deceased, Garcia said. A second passenger in the Ford, a 34-year-old man, also of Groveland, was transported to AdventHealth Four Corners Hospital with serious injuries. The dump truck driver, a 47-year-old Kissimmee man, was not injured.

The crash closed County Road 474 between Cemex Sand Mine and State Road 33 for several hours.

Driver killed after tree falls on truck and causes crash near Clermont, 2 passengers hospitalized Read More »

Fatal crash shuts down CR 474 outside of Clermont

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

CLERMONT, Fla.—A fatal crash has shut down County Road 474 in unincorporated Clermont, according to the Lake County County Sheriff’s Office

County Road 474 is shut down in both directions, from Cemex Sand Mine, 11945 County Road 474, to State Road 33 while the Florida Highway Patrol investigates the crash that occurred around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

This is a developing story.

Fatal crash shuts down CR 474 outside of Clermont Read More »

Julie Sulpizio’s mugshot, left, and Sulpizio cuffed with LCSO Master Deputy Bradley Link’s handcuffs the day she was arrested. PHOTOS: Lake County Sheriff’s Office

BREAKING NEWS: Matriarch indicted for ambush of deputies

Eustis, Inside Scoop, Tavares, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

TAVARES, Fla.—A Lake County grand jury has indicted Julie Sulpizio for her role in the death of one Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy and the attempted murder of two others on Aug. 2.

Sulpizio is now officially charged with principal to premeditated murder of a law enforcement officer, three counts of principal to attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, conspiracy to commit murder, battery on law enforcement officer, three counts of battery. The battery charges stem for her original altercation with neighbors.

Sulpizio has been held on no bond since her arrest Aug. 5 after she was medically cleared from AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares. She was detained since the night of the incident on a Baker Act, LCSO said earlier this month.

On Aug. 2, Sulpizio started an altercation with her neighbors on Brookside Drive in unincorporated Eustis. She attacked the neighbors and LCSO responded, and during a well-being check at her home, just down the street from the original call, Master Deputy Bradley Link was shot and suffered fatal wounds. In an immediate rescue attempt of Link, K9 Master Deputy Harold Howell was shot in the wrist and in a subsequent rescue attempt, Deputy Stefano Gargano was shot multiple times. Howell was released from the hospital and continues to recover at home; Gargano is still in the hospital and is in stable condition.

Upon entering the home, LCSO’s SWAT Team extracted Link and found Michael, and his adopted daughters, Cheyenne and Savannah Sulpizio, all dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Evidence at the scene indicated all three opened fire and ambushed the deputies.

Sheriff Peyton Grinnell revealed during Link’s Celebration of Life Service, that Link’s wife, Brittany, called her husband that tragic night and one of the assailants answered his phone and spoke to her.

Sulpizio is being held at an undisclosed detention center in the area, “That’s not uncommon in high publicity cases such as this one,” Lt. John Herrell told Inside Lake in an earlier interview.

Sulpizio charged with multiple capital crimes and could face the death penalty.

Previous story: Matriarch now facing charges in “horrific nightmare” ambush of deputies – Inside Lake

BREAKING NEWS: Matriarch indicted for ambush of deputies Read More »

FHP confirms identity of man killed on SR 44 early Sunday

Eustis, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—The Florida Highway Patrol has confirmed the identity of the man killed while walking across State Road 44 Sunday morning.

Robert Hawkins Jr., 32, was walking north across the westbound lane of State Road 44 near Lakeview Drive when he was struck by a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan being driven by a 43-year-old DeLand woman, around 3:45 a.m.; Hawkins was not in a marked crosswalk, Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said.

Hawkins was pronounced deceased on the scene; the DeLand woman was not injured.

FHP confirms identity of man killed on SR 44 early Sunday Read More »

Eustis man killed walking across SR 44 early Sunday

Eustis, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—A Eustis man was struck and killed early Sunday morning while walking across State Road 44, outside of Eustis, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Shortly after 3:45 a.m., the 32-year-old man was walking north across the westbound lane of State Road 44 near Lakeview Drive when he was struck by a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan being driven by a 43-year-old DeLand woman.

The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on the scene; he was not in a marked crosswalk. The DeLand woman was not injured, Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said.

Eustis man killed walking across SR 44 early Sunday Read More »

LCSO Master Deputy Bradley Link to be honored with run Wednesday night

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 Marilyn M. Aciego

TAVARES, Fla.—Lake County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Bradley Link is scheduled to be honored Wednesday night by a young man who will run his 1,550^th mile in support of fallen first responders.

Zechariah Cartledge founded Running 4 Heroes Inc., a non-profit organization in 2019, to raise funds for fallen first responders. Cartledge is scheduled to run the mile at 8 p.m. Wednesday, at Tavares Middle School, 13032 Lane Park Cutoff Road, Tavares. Attendees are asked to arrive between 7 and 7:30 p.m.

LCSO Master Deputy Bradley Link to be honored with run Wednesday night Read More »

Authorities investigate after a man was found dead with his car Wednesday. COURTESY PHOTO

LCSO: No signs of foul play in Altoona death investigation

Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

ALTOONA, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation after a man was found deceased with his vehicle Wednesday in the area of Kismet Road in Altoona.

The man, whose name was not released, is an older man, and a detective investigating the case believes the heat may have contributed to his death while he was stranded with his car that was stuck in in the woods. There are no signs of foul play, LCSO Cpl. Chanel Martin said.

LCSO: No signs of foul play in Altoona death investigation Read More »