ALTOONA, Florida—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Forest Service are working together searching for a man who went missing on a canoe trip Easter Sunday.
Davidson Anjab, 39, was canoeing with two men Sunday afternoon when the canoe overturned; two of the men got back into the canoe, but Anjab was unable to, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said. The man swam back to shore and yelled he would walk back and meet his party, but he never made it.
Davidson Anjab
The U.S. Forest Service has closed the day-use area of Alexander Springs because it is being used as a staging area for the search, according to a Facebook post. Campers with reservations will be allowed entry to the camping area on a case-by-case basis.
LCSO’s Marine Patrol Unit, Eagle 1(helicopter,) mounted posse, K9 deputies and other personnel are diligently searching for the man, Herrell said.
TAVARES, Florida—Lake County residents with minor criminal histories have a unique opportunity to quickly and efficiently expunge or seal their record Saturday if they qualify, at the first-ever Sealing and Expungement clinic offered here.
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida is teaming up with the Lake County Bar Association and Lake Young Lawyers Division to offer this free 4-hour clinic scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Lake County Courthouse, 550 West Main Street, Tavares. Lawyers and representatives from numerous government agencies will be on hand to help participants navigate through the process, which often can be difficult to do on their own or expensive to hire a private attorney, said Taylor Tremel, an attorney who will be available on-site Saturday, to help. Lake County Clerk of Court Gary Cooney is waiving certain fees and providing the space for the clinic, Tremel said.
Tremel, who has served as an assistant state attorney and a public defender, is now in private practice with the firm Bowen & Schroth in Eustis and is enthusiastic about being a part of this program. “We saw that there was a need, and I thought it was a worthwhile thing to take on” he told Inside Lake.
“This brings everybody together under one roof to help and answer questions. It’s not very often all these groups get together to do something like this,” Tremel said.
Many crimes are not eligible to be sealed or expunged, including violent offenses, Tremel said. If a person was adjudicated guilty for a crime, they are not eligible either.
Participants’ criminal case must have occurred in Lake County to partake in the event and are asked to pre-register at Clinic Screening (legalserver.org) and those who do, may qualify for assistance with the $75 Florida Department of Law Enforcement application fee. Tremel said participants should not overstate their income or overrepresent how much money they have in the bank.
Tremel is hoping for a large turnout Saturday, “It’s a really awesome event,” he said. “I think it’s something that can be done annually.”
GROVELAND, Florida—A 7-year-old girl has died after being run over in a driveway Easter Sunday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
A 70-year-old Groveland woman was parked in a driveway dropping off family members at a home on County Road 48 near County Road 33 at 4:30 p.m. The woman put the van in “drive” and failed to realize her 7-year-old granddaughter was in front of the van, and she was struck, FHP Lt. Kim Montes said in a press release.
The girl, also of Groveland, was transported to UF Health Leesburg, where she later died. The crash remains under investigation.
This is the second tragic traffic incident involving children in Lake County in less than 24 hours. On Saturday, a 2-year-old boy and 4-year-old boy, who were not in car seats, were killed in a head-on crash near Sorrento. A 1-year-old boy in the same crash was airlifted with serious injuries. The three boys, all of Leesburg, have been identified as brothers in numerous social media posts.
SORRENTO, Florida—A 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old boy were killed in a late afternoon crash Saturday and a 1-year-old boy was airlifted to the hospital with serious injuries—and at least two of the boys were not in car seats, it is unknown if the surviving toddler was restrained, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Witnesses told FHP a 20-year-old man of Leesburg, was driving a 2011 Kia westbound on State Road 46 near Bear Pond Access Road and passing other traffic in a no-passing zone. A 2011 Toyota Pickup truck being driven by a 44-year-old Lake Mary man was eastbound on S.R. 46 when the Kia entered his lane, FHP. Lt. Kim Montes said in a press release. The driver of the truck took evasive action, witnesses said, and traveled onto the south shoulder. The Kia traveled onto the same shoulder and struck the truck head-on, causing it to overturn and catch fire.
Two toddlers in the Kia were killed, and one was ejected, but it is unclear which one. A third toddler, also in the Kia, was airlifted to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in serious, but stable condition. The driver and passenger of the Kia received minor injuries and were transported to Central Florida Regional Medical Center in Sanford. It is unknown if they were wearing their seatbelts. The driver of the truck and his four passengers were transported to a local hospital.
The crash remains under investigation.
*Correction: The two toddlers who were killed were not in car seats; it is unknown if the 1-year-old was restrained. The above story reflects this correction.
SORRENTO, Florida—A double fatality has closed a major roadway when many are traveling for the Easter holiday.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash that occurred shortly before 5:45 p.m. Saturday at State Road 46 and Bearpond Access Road. Two people were pronounced dead, one person was flown to a local hospital for treatment, and there are two trauma patients, said FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi.
State Road 46 is closed, and drivers are asked to use an alternate route.
UMATILLA, Florida—A Umatilla man who was already in the Lake County Jail on theft charges was served with another warrant accusing him of stealing $20,000 worth of copper materials from Duke Energy and then selling them to a recycling plant, according to an arrest affidavit.
Luchious Myron Clayton, 64, of Umatilla, was arrested April 2 at his home on a warrant accusing of him of burglary and grand theft—and the victim was his cousin. In that case, the victim, Clayton’s cousin, left for work on March 28, and got an alert from his home surveillance system. He began watching the live feed and observed Clayton in his home going through a dresser drawer and in his living room. He then exited the residence. The victim, who is also Clayton’s neighbor, returned home and found $130 missing, according to a Lake County Sheriff’s Office probable cause affidavit.
Clayton was picked up on the warrant on April 2 and was being held on $12,000 bond. While he was jail, LCSO served him with another warrant Monday, accusing him of the theft from Duke Energy.
PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Om March 21, LCSO responded to a Duke Energy substation on Mills Street in Umatilla and a Duke employee told a deputy that “Luchious” rides his bicycle near the substation and cut the 6-foot barbed wire and chain link fence, causing about $1,500 in damage to the fence. He said Clayton stole copper material and copper connection materials, valued at around $20,000.
The employee went to a recycling plant, located just a mile from the substation and spoke with the owner, he said, a black male by the name of “Luchious” had been selling him copper wire and provided LCSO with a copy of Clayton’s Florida Identification card. The owner and his wife said Clayton visits frequently and they have refused to buy non-insulated wire from him in the past.
Clayton was questioned at LCJ and told LCSO he committed the theft by himself; he is facing charges of burglary, grand theft and dealing in stolen property, in addition to the charges he is facing in his cousin’s case. Clayton is being held at the Lake County Jail on $27,000 bond.
FOUR CORNERS, Florida—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate a shooting that left a man dead Tuesday and have released the shooter’s name.
Christopher Darrick Deloatch, 36, shot Dejuan Dior McWilliams, 31, around noon Tuesday when he tried to enter Deloatch’s apartment uninvited, LCSO Lt. Fred Jones said.
McWilliams was found deceased on the third floor of an apartment building at Cagan Crossings, 16343 Cagan Crossing Boulevard in the Four Corners area, also known as Citrus Ridge. Jones said the pair were involved in a confrontation at Deloatch’s doorway.
FOUR CORNERS, Florida—A person was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon after a confrontation at the doorway of an apartment at Cagan Crossings in the Four Corners area
The black male, whose identity has not been released, was found deceased around noon Tuesday by Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies, on the third floor of an apartment building LCSO Lt. Fred Jones said. Detectives have found the shooter and the deceased male knew each other and a confrontation occurred at the doorway of the apartment at 16343 Cagan Crossings Boulevard. The Four Corners area is also known as Citrus Ridge.
No other information has been released. “It is still early in the investigation,” Jones said.
LAKE COUNTY, Florida—A 22-year-old Sanford man was killed Tuesday night in a three-vehicle crash that shut down State Road 44 near Eustis, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The man, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was driving a 2005 Nissan Altima westbound around 6:10 p.m. on State Road 44 near Donna Vista Place when he crossed over the center line and sideswiped a 2014 Honda Accord being driven eastbound by a 30-year-old Sorrento woman, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.
The Altima then struck a 2006 Chevy Silverado head-on being driven by a 56-year-old Eustis man. The driver of the Altima was killed, and the driver of the Silverado was seriously injured and airlifted to Central Florida Regional Medical Center in Sanford with non-life-threatening injuries, Crescenzi said. The driver and passenger of the Accord were not injured.
LAKE COUNTY, Florida—A multi-vehicle fatal crash has shut down State Road 44 at Donna Vista Place, near Eustis, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred at 6:10 p.m., involves multiple vehicles and one person was pronounced dead on the scene, FHP Lt. Kim Montes said.
