Inside Scoop

Leesburg Police Investigating Possible Gun Battle in Busy Shopping Center Sunday Night

LEESBURG, Fla.—Leesburg Police Department is investigating after a man was shot around 9 p.m. Sunday night in a busy shopping center and police have few details, according to LPD Capt. Joe Iozzi.

“The person shot is an adult male and evidence suggests there was an exchange of gunfire between at least two people at Southside Plaza, one possibly being the person who was shot,” Iozzi said.

Police have not been able to interview the man due to his injuries and subsequent surgery, according to Iozzi. If you have information on the shooting, call LPD at 352-787-2121.

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Orange County Wrong-Way Crash Seriously Injures Mount Dora Woman, Kills Ocoee Woman

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.—A Mount Dora woman was seriously injured, and an Ocoee woman was killed in a wrong-way crash on State Road 429 early Thursday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Around 3:10 a.m., the Ocoee woman, 44, was driving a 2013 Nissan Altima northbound in the outside southbound lane near Orange Blossom Trail in the direct path of a 2020 Toyota Rav 4 being driven by a 29-year-old Mount Dora woman, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said.

The Mount Dora woman attempted to swerve to avoid the Altima, but the two vehicles collided, Crescenzi said. The Ocoee woman was transported to Advent Apopka Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased; the Mount Dora woman was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

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Pedestrian Killed Near Leesburg Wednesday Morning

LEESBURG, Fla.—A pedestrian walking in the road was struck and killed in Leesburg Wednesday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Around 6:30 a.m., a 63-year-old Leesburg man was driving a 2020 Volkswagen Passat eastbound on Griffin Road near Pioneer Trail when he struck a 55-year-old Leesburg man who was walking in the eastbound lane of Griffin Road, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said.

The pedestrian was transported to UF Health Leesburg Hospital and pronounced deceased; the driver of the Passat was not injured. He remained on scene and told troopers he did not see the man walking in the road. The crash remains under investigation, Crescenzi said.

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Details Emerge on Mount Dora Crash that Closed US Highway 441 for 8 Hours Last Week

MOUNT DORA, Fla.—A truck that ran a red light caused the crash that closed a major Mount Dora roadway for more than eight hours last week, according to Mont Dora Police Department.

Shortly before 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Johnny Fisher, 45, was driving a black 2009 Dodge pickup truck northbound on U.S. Highway 441 when he ran the traffic light at Eudora Road and was struck by a 2018 Honda passenger vehicle being driven by E. Addison Hulit, 84. The impact caused Fisher to lose control of the truck, veer off the road and overturn, MDPD Spokesperson Brittany Haller told Inside Lake.

Fisher was ejected from the truck and transported by helicopter to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital with life-threatening injuries; his condition at press time was unknown. Fisher’s passenger, a 10-year-old boy, was not injured, Haller said.

Hulit, and a passenger in the Honda, Linda Hulit, 82, were both transported to HCA Florida Mount Dora Emergency with non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash closed U.S. Highway 441 for eight hours and Eustis Police Department assisted with MDPD with traffic control. The crash remains under investigation and multiple witnesses are cooperating, Haller said.

Previous story: 2-Vehicle Crash Resulting in Multiple Injuries Snarls Traffic in Mount Dora Thursday Afternoon – Inside Lake

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Name of Motorcyclist Killed in Mount Dora Thursday Night Crash Released

MOUNT DORA, Fla.—Mount Dora Police Department has released more information about a crash that killed a motorcyclist Thursday night.

Just after 8:30 p.m. Thursday, MDPD responded to a crash involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck at County Road 19A and Azalea Drive, MDPD spokesperson Brittany Haller said.

Tyler Matthew Head, 23, was riding a 2003 Buell Lightning motorcycle northbound on County Road 19A when he collided with a 2004 GMC Sierra being driven by Geary Shane Martin, 47, who was attempting to turn into a Dollar General from Azaela Drive, according to Haller.

“The impact caused the motorcycle to catch on fire, which subsequently ignited the pickup truck,” Haller said.

Head suffered life-threatening injuries and died while being transported to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares; Martin was not injured and is cooperating with the investigation.

Previous story: BREAKING NEWS: Mount Dora Police on Scene of Fiery Wreck – Inside Lake

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Embattled Tavares Condo Complex Site of 2 Serious Incidents New Years Day

TAVARES, Fla.—Two separate incidents at an embattled condominium complex kept Tavares Police Department busy in the early hours of the new year Monday.

In the first incident, TPD responded to Rosewood Condominiums around 2:30 a.m. Monday in reference to a kidnapping, and when they arrived, they found four males walking northbound on West Rosewood Lane. The males were identified as Keshaun Terrell Pearce, 21, Omar Torray Alexander-Graham, 17, and Korrell D’Mon Walker, 17. The fourth male was visibly upset and crying and looked, “as if he was begging for help,” the arresting officer noted in a report. He was separated from the group for questioning and identified as the victim.

Pearce, who is known to carry firearms, admitted he was armed, and an officer removed a loaded 9mm Taurus handgun from the pocket of his hoodie. He told TPD he was walking with the group to an unidentified juvenile female’s residence due to the victim allegedly having a sexual relationship with the girl. He said he might have “roughed him up,” prior to the walk, He later told police he grabbed the victim by the collar, but never hit him and said the victim got into an altercation earlier in Mount Dora. Alexander-Graham, who was armed with a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson, was detained and placed into the back of a patrol vehicle and Walker was detained and put into the back of another patrol vehicle; he told police he witnessed a physical altercation between Pearce and the victim and said the gun he was carrying was dropped by the victim as they walked to the juvenile female’s home.

Walker saw the group walking and joined them, he told police, and said he only knew the victim was having an alleged relationship with the female and denied seeing anything else. He told police he was looking at his phone the whole time. Walker was searched and officers found a small amount of marijuana in his pocket and a phone he dropped at the scene.

The victim, who Inside Lake is not identifying, told officers he was at a party in Mount Dora with Pearce, and they left and went to a residence on West Rosewood Lane. While there, the victim said he got into an argument with Pearce about the alleged relationship with the juvenile female and Pearce got angry and punched the victim in the face. He said Pearce grabbed him and told him they were going to talk to the girl’s mother. The victim told police he complied because he was in fear and the group, including Alexander-Graham, Walker and an unidentified person, began walking toward the juvenile female’s home, according to the report.

The victim told police as they walked through Rosewood Condominiums, Walker was holding his arm, and the unidentified person took his phone. He said he tried to leave several times and yelled for help, but Alexander-Graham told him to be quiet, or else he would be shot, using multiple references for being shot and Pearce told him to keep moving and put a gun to his back. They arrived at the female’s home, and her mother was not there, he told police.

They left and were soon approached by TPD.

Pearce, Alexander-Graham and Walker were all arrested for kidnapping and are each facing additional charges. Pearce was also arrested for battery, inflicting bodily harm or terrorizing a victim, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony; Walker is also charged with battery and possession of marijuana and Alexander-Graham is facing two additional charges involving the gun—carrying a concealed firearm and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Pearce is being held in the Lake County Jail on $68,000. Alexander-Graham and Walker were turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Less than two hours later, TPD responded to a neighborhood near Rosewood Condominiums in reference to a man being “jumped.” He told police he was hanging out with two women in Mount Dora, earlier in the evening and was planning on going to a condo in Rosewood with one of them. The other woman got mad and took off walking. The victim and the other woman tried to find her but were unsuccessful and went to the condo in Tavares. After they arrived the victim and the woman who took off on foot got into an argument on the phone and the victim called her a name. She responded to the name calling by saying, “Oh, you (expletive) now, you (expletive) now,” according to the report.

Approximately 30 to 40 minutes later, two men showed up at the condo, kicked the door in and began beating the victim, so he ran out the back door, jumped several fences and finally ended up at a home in a nearby neighborhood. Tavares Fire Department and Lake EMS responded to tend to his wounds and although the victim said he did believe a weapon was involved, Lake EMS told police his injuries were consistent with a “bladed weapon,” due to the cleanliness and severity of the wounds. He was transported by ground to Orlando Regional Medical Center.

“we’re investigating if the two incidents are related, but at this time we don’t believe they are,” TPD Public Information Officer Courtney Sullivan said.

Embattled Tavares Condo Complex Site of 2 Serious Incidents New Years Day Read More »

Accused Leesburg Killer Surrenders

LEESBURG, Fla.—The teenager accused of killing a Leesburg man Wednesday has surrendered and is in the Lake County Jail, according to a Leesburg Police Department social media post.

Kevin Harrison, 19, is accused of shooting Lekendre Hall, 37, at a home at 1906 West Main Street around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday. LPD responded to the scene and found Hall lying on the ground suffering from at least one gunshot wound; he was transported to UF Health Leesburg, where he was pronounced deceased from his injuries, Capt. Joe Iozzi said Thursday.

Crime scene investigators and detectives responded to the scene and Harrison was identified as the suspect after several witnesses were interviewed, Iozzi said.

Harrison is charged with second-degree murder and is being held on no bond. Police have not released a motive for the killing.

Previous story: Leesburg Police Searching for Accused Killer – Inside Lake

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BREAKING NEWS: Mount Dora Police on Scene of Fiery Wreck

MOUNT DORA, Fla.—For the second time Thursday, Mount Dora Police Department is investigating a crash that seriously injured someone.

Around 8:45 p.m., MDPD responded to the crash involving a white pickup truck and a motorcycle at County Road 19A and Azaela Drive. The truck became engulfed in flames following the collision, MDPD Spokesperson Misty Sommer told Inside Lake.

Video courtesy of Tori Vines 

The driver of the truck was not injured, and the motorcyclist was transported by ground to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. How the crash occurred was still under investigation at press time.

April Conde was the first to call 911 following the crash, she told Inside Lake. She said while she was on the phone with a dispatcher, multiple people called in about the fiery crash.

This is a developing story.

 

Previous story: 2-Vehicle Crash Resulting in Multiple Injuries Snarls Traffic in Mount Dora Thursday Afternoon – Inside Lake

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2-Vehicle Crash Resulting in Multiple Injuries Snarls Traffic in Mount Dora Thursday Afternoon

MOUNT DORA, Fla.—Mount Dora Police Department is investigating a crash that injured multiple people and closed a major intersection Thursday.

Details were limited at press time, because MDPD was still on scene, but the crash involves two vehicles and occurred around 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. Highway 441 and Eudora Road.  One person with severe injuries was airlifted and two people were transported to the hospital by ground, MDPD Spokesperson Misty Sommer told Inside Lake.

Motorists are being asked to avoid the area.

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Leesburg Police Searching for Accused Killer

LEESBURG, Fla.—Leesburg Police Department is searching for a man they say shot and killed another man on Main Street Wednesday night.

LPD responded to 1906 West Main Steet around 8:45 p.m. and found Lekendre Hall, 37, lying on the ground suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was transported to UF Health Leesburg where he pronounced deceased, according to Capt. Joe Iozzi.

“Leesburg officers secured the crime scene and detectives were then summoned along with Leesburg CSI,” Iozzi said, and after interviewing multiple witnesses, Kevin Harrison, 19, was identified as the shooter.

Harrison has not been apprehended and LPD has not released a motive for the killing. If you have information on Harrison’s whereabouts, call LPD at 352-787-2121.

 

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