Unincorporated Lake

Fentanyl, Cocaine, Marijuana, Stolen Gun Found During Umatilla Search Warrant, Trio Arrested

Clermont, Eustis, Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Mount Dora, Umatilla, Unincorporated Lake / By

UMATILLA, Fla.—Three people are behind bars and $50,000 worth of drugs are off the streets following a search warrant at a Umatilla home early Wednesday, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Acting on Crimeline tips and complaints, LCSO’s SWAT team, along with detectives from LCSO, Clermont Police Department, Eustis Police Department, Leesburg Police Department, Mount Dora Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security wrapped up a six-month long investigation Wednesday with the execution of the search warrant at 38945 Pine St., in unincorporated Umatilla.

Law enforcement detained three people found inside the home, Robert Donaldson, 46, Joana Silva, 22, and Lashonda Gaston, 44. Donaldson and Silva are engaged, according to LCSO.

Upon searching the home, law enforcement found a large amount of powder and crack cocaine, weighing about 1.5 pounds, along with an ounce of fentanyl in pill form and 7 pounds of marijuana, with a combined street value of $50,000. The fentanyl pills were stamped with a handicap symbol, LCSO said; a stolen gun and $10,000 in cash were also found.

PHOTOS: Lake County Sheriff’s Office

Donaldson, who was already on probation for possession of drugs and resisting arrest in a 2021 case, was arrested for trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in fentanyl, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, manufacturing cocaine into a cocaine base, possession of drug paraphernalia, and ownership, lease, rental, or possession of a residence for trafficking in or manufacturing a controlled substance; he is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.

Silva, who was caught trying to flush crack down the toilet, was arrested for tampering with evidence, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in fentanyl, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, manufacturing cocaine into a cocaine base, possession of drug paraphernalia and ownership, lease, rental, or possession of a residence for trafficking in or manufacturing a controlled substance; she is being held in LCJ on $561,000 bond.

Gaston was arrested for trafficking in fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; she is being held In LCJ on $20,000 bond.

Fentanyl, Cocaine, Marijuana, Stolen Gun Found During Umatilla Search Warrant, Trio Arrested Read More »

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Leesburg Woman Arrested for Attempted Murder Held on No Bond

Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By

LEESBURG, Fla.—A Leesburg woman is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond after she admitted she stabbed another woman, according to an arrest affidavit.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call early Wednesday morning stating a person had been stabbed at home in unincorporated Leesburg. The address where the stabbing occurred is redacted from the affidavit, but sources told Inside Lake it occurred on Kaylee Way, near Radio Road. The victim, whose name is also redacted from the affidavit, had approximately seven injuries “consistent with being stabbed with a knife or other edged implement,” and was “bleeding profusely.” She told police Jillian Joan Viccaro, 24, stabbed her.

The relationship between the victim and Viccaro is also redacted from the affidavit, but LCSO Public Information Officer Chanel Martin told Inside Lake, the crime “is domestic in nature.” The victim was transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition, Martin said.

Deputies located Viccaro, who had no visible injuries, and she admitted to the stabbing, but said the victim attacked her first by “lunging at her,” the affidavit states. Viccaro was arrested for attempted domestic murder and aggravated domestic battery and transported to the Lake County Jail.

Leesburg Woman Arrested for Attempted Murder Held on No Bond Read More »

BREAKING NEWS: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

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

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—At press time Christmas Eve, the jolly fellow best known as Santa Claus was last spotted in Greenland and had delivered more than 5 billion gifts, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD.)

Little boys and girls (who should be in bed) 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.

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PHOTO: Florida Highway Patrol

Motorcyclist Struck by 8 Vehicles after Falling from Bike near Clermont, FHP Says

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

CLERMONT, Fla.— A 26-year-old Kissimmee man was killed Sunday night after he fell from his Kawasaki motorcycle and was struck by eight vehicles on U.S. Highway 27, near Clermont, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Around 6:20 p.m. Sunday, the motorcyclist was traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 27 near Frank Jarrell Road when he lost control, fell from the bike, and landed in the center lane, FHP Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said in a press release.

The rider was then struck by eight vehicles that were traveling behind him, including a Chevrolet Trax, a Nissan Armada, a Toyota Camry, a Chevrolet Silverado, a Ford Escape, a Toyota Corolla, a Nissan Pathfinder and a Dodge Challenger. The drivers of all eight vehicles did not see him, Garcia said.

The motorcyclist was pronounced deceased on the scene; none of the occupants of the eight vehicles that struck him were injured, Garcia said. FHP originally stated the crash involved the motorcycle and two vehicles, but the investigation later revealed the crash involved a total of nine vehicles.

Previous story: Motorcyclist Killed in 3-Vehicle Crash near Clermont Sunday Night – Inside Lake 

Motorcyclist Struck by 8 Vehicles after Falling from Bike near Clermont, FHP Says Read More »

PHOTO: Florida Highway Patrol

Motorcyclist Killed in 3-Vehicle Crash near Clermont Sunday Night

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

CLERMONT, Fla.—The Florida Highway Patrol is on scene of a fatal crash at U.S. Highway 27 and Frank Jarrell Road, near Clermont.

A 26-year-old Kissimmee man riding a 2024 Kawasaki motorcycle was involved in a crash with 2020 Chevrolet Trax and a 2023 Dodge Challenger around 6:20 p.m. Sunday. The motorcyclist was pronounced deceased on the scene. There is a roadblock in the area and motorists are asked to use caution.

Motorcyclist Killed in 3-Vehicle Crash near Clermont Sunday Night Read More »

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Details Released on Triple Fatality Near Groveland

Groveland, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

GROVELAND, Fla.—The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate a crash that killed a man and two women near Groveland Tuesday.

Around 2 p.m., a 2018 Ford Explorer, being driven by a 47-year-old Grand Island man was stopped, facing east on Bridges Road at County Road 33 when it pulled into the direct path of a 1997 Ford dump truck being driven northbound on County Road 33, by a 63-year-old man of Mount Vernon, Maine. The front of the dump truck collided with the right side of the Explorer. The impact caused both vehicles to leave the roadway and travel into the tree line on County Road 33, according to Trooper Migdalisis Garcia.

The driver of the Explorer, and his two passengers, a 35-year-old woman of Longwood, and a 32-year-old woman of Orlando, were all pronounced deceased on the scene, Garcia said.  The dump truck driver suffered minor injuries.

Lake County Fire Rescue, Lake EMS, Groveland Fire Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office assisted FHP on the scene.

Details Released on Triple Fatality Near Groveland Read More »

3 Killed in Groveland Crash with Dump Truck Tuesday, CR 33 Shut Down

Groveland, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

GROVELAND, Fla.—Three people were killed in a crash Tuesday afternoon in Groveland, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred at County Road 33 and Bridges Road just before 2 p.m. and involves an SUV and a dump truck. County Road 33 is shut down, FHP said. No other information was available at press time. This is a developing story.

3 Killed in Groveland Crash with Dump Truck Tuesday, CR 33 Shut Down Read More »

PHOTO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake

Umatilla Man Killed in CR 452 Crash Tuesday

Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By

LEESBURG, Fla.—A Umatilla motorcyclist was killed Tuesday when a sedan made a left turn and collided with him, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A 2013 Hyundai Sonata, being driven by a 91-year-old Apopka man, was eastbound on County Road 452, in the left turn lane, at Sandpiper Drive, near Leesburg, shortly before noon when it made a left turn in the direct path of a 2002 Kawasaki motorcycle being ridden by a 56-year-old Umatilla man, FHP Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said in a press release.

The Umatilla man was transported to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares, where he was pronounced deceased, Garcia said. The Apopka man and his passenger, a 76-year-old woman, also of Apopka, were not injured and remained on scene. The crash closed County Road 452 for more than four hours and reopened around 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Umatilla Man Killed in CR 452 Crash Tuesday Read More »

PHOTO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake

Motorcycle Fatality Shuts Down CR 452 Near Leesburg Tuesday

Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By

Update: Umatilla Man Killed in CR 452 Crash Tuesday – Inside Lake

LEESBURG, Fla.—The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that killed a motorcyclist late Tuesday morning near Leesburg and shut down County Road 452.

The crash occurred on County Road 452 near Sandpiper Drive, shortly before noon, and involved a Hyundai Sonata and a 2002 Kawasaki motorcycle, FHP Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said in an email.  The driver and the passenger in the Sonata were not injured and the motorcyclist was transported to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares and pronounced deceased.

County Road 452 remained closed at press time.

Motorcycle Fatality Shuts Down CR 452 Near Leesburg Tuesday Read More »

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Sunday Afternoon Crash Kills Leesburg Man, 94

Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By

LEESBURG, Fla.—A 94-year-old Leesburg man was killed Sunday afternoon when the SUV he was driving was struck by a car that ran a traffic light, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The man was driving a 2015 Subaru Forester eastbound on Plantation Boulevard and was attempting to make a left turn on U.S. Highway 27 when he collided with a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu that was “unable to stop in time for the traffic signal,” around 4:15 p.m., Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said in a press release.

The front of the Malibu struck the left side of the Forester and injured both drivers. The Malibu driver, a 32-year-old Leesburg man, was taken to UF Health Leesburg Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the driver of the Forester was transported to South Lake Hospital-Blue Cedar, where he later died from his injuries, Garcia said.

The crash remains under investigation.

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