Clermont

PHOTO: Bonnie Whicher/Inside Lake

Team Effort in Operation Sneak-A-Peek Nets Largest Fentanyl Haul in County History

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

TAVARES, Florida—Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell has a message for those dealing drugs in Lake County…to be continued.

Announcing the largest fentanyl haul in Lake County history at a press conference Thursday, Grinnell spoke to members of the media about a 4-month operation that resulted in 27 people facing drug-related charges after detectives with multiple agencies targeted three high-level drug traffickers and their associates across the county.

Cliff “Sneak” Johnson, 40, Andrew “Smurf” Woodruff, 37, and Charles, “Cuz” Carter, 50, who have collectively been arrested 75 times for felonies, were the main targets of “Operation Sneak-A-Peek” Grinnell told reporters Thursday afternoon.

“Mr. Johnson goes by the street name, “Sneak,” and our detectives took a peek and what Mr. Sneak was up to; hence, the name of this operation,” Grinnell said.

Detectives from LCSO, Clermont Police Department, Eustis Police Department, Leesburg Police Department and Mount Dora Police Department, DEA, FBI, Homeland Security and the Fifth Circuit State Attorney’s Office investigated the trio and found that fentanyl was coming from Mexico into California and Texas and making its way to Lake County, either by shipping methods or transported by vehicle, Grinnell said.

“This was truly a team effort,” Grinnell said.

PHOTO: Bonnie Whicher/Inside Lake

Detectives traveled to Georgia and throughout Florida to crack the case, according to the sheriff.

Detectives recovered a large amount of drugs, including 3.1 pounds of fentanyl, 1.11 ounces of fentanyl pills, 22 pounds of methamphetamine, 2 pounds of cocaine, 1.2 ounces of crack cocaine, 5.7 ounces of heroin, 10 ounces of MDMA and 15 pounds of marijuana. Thirteen guns were recovered, three of which were stolen, in addition to $12,000 in cash, four vehicles and three pill presses. The drugs have a wholesale street value of nearly $300,000 Grinnell said.

Johnson, of Leesburg, is being held in the Sumter County Jail on no bond and is facing 23 charges, including trafficking, conspiracy to commit trafficking, unlawful use of a two-way communication device and possession of numerous different drugs; Woodruff, of Mount Dora, is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond and is facing four charges, racketeering, conspiracy to commit trafficking in fentanyl  and methamphetamine and, unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Carter, of Leesburg, is charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking in fentanyl and cocaine, and conspiracy to commit racketeering. He is also being held in LCJ on no bond.

The operation also revealed the suspects were dealing Isotonitazene, commonly known as ISO, a synthetic opioid that can be 20 to 100 times more potent than fentanyl, Grinnell said.

Seventeen suspects have been arrested and cops are still looking for nine more.

Grinnell had a message for those he calls “pushers of poison.”

“Operations like these save lives and put the pushers of poison behind bars. So here in Lake County, I say, to be continued.”

State Attorney Bill Gladson said some of the charges carry minimum mandatory prison sentences of at least 15 years.

Several documents in each of the suspects’ cases have been sealed and many details of the undercover operation are not available. 

PHOTO: Bonnie Whicher/Inside Lake

Team Effort in Operation Sneak-A-Peek Nets Largest Fentanyl Haul in County History Read More »

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Witness Tells FHP Bicyclist was Struck by at Least 1 Vehicle after Hit and Run Crash

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

FOUR CORNERS, Florida—A 35-year-old Lakeland man was killed in the early morning hours Friday as the result of a hit and run and at least one vehicle running him over, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The man was riding a bicycle southbound at 4:45 a.m. on U.S. Highway 27 near U.S. Highway 192 in the bicycle lane when an unknown vehicle failed to maintain the outside lane and struck the bicyclist, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

The impact ejected the bicyclist and he landed in the outside lane, where a witness saw at least one vehicle, possibly two, strike the man and continue traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 27. The bicyclist was pronounced dead on the scene, Crescenzi said.

Troopers believe the vehicle that initially struck the man may be a semi, due to tire marks, Crescenzi said. Anyone with information is asked to call FHP at 407-737-2213 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

The crash remains under investigation.

Witness Tells FHP Bicyclist was Struck by at Least 1 Vehicle after Hit and Run Crash Read More »

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Teenager Arrested for Crashing into Patrol Car while Trying to Flee Deputies

Clermont, Inside Scoop / By

CLERMONT, Florida—A teenager is facing four criminal charges after crashing a stolen car into the back of a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s patrol car while trying to flee around 4 a.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest affidavit.

LCSO received information a stolen white Dodge Dart was entering Lake County and located it around State Road 50 and East Avenue and several deputies attempted a rolling roadblock. The 16-year-old driver veered across State Road 50 and crashed into a deputy’s marked cruiser, according to the affidavit. The Orlando boy fled into a nearby parking lot and performed a U-turn and entered the westbound lane of State Road 50 traveling eastbound.

Inside Lake is not naming the boy due to his age and the nature of the charges.

The Dart then turned onto Autoplex Lane, a dead-end street, near a Toyota dealership and LCSO performed a felony traffic stop and took the boy into custody. He was arrested for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing to elude and no driver license, never had one.

He was evaluated on scene by Lake EMS and transported to a local hospital where he was medically cleared. He was taken to the Lake County Jail and the Department of Juvenile Justice was contacted, the affidavit states.

Teenager Arrested for Crashing into Patrol Car while Trying to Flee Deputies Read More »

PHOTO: Florida Highway Patrol

Clermont 5-year-old and 3 Adults Killed in Early Morning Crash, CR 561 Shutdown, Troopers Say

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

CLERMONT, Florida—A 5-year-old girl and three adults were killed just after midnight Wednesday when the Dodge Durango they were traveling in left the roadway and struck a tree, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

The 2008 Durango being driven by a 24-year-old Orlando man was traveling southbound on County Road 561 when it failed to negotiate a curve near Florida Boys Ranch Road in unincorporated Clermont. The Durango ran off the road and struck a tree. The driver, a 48-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, all of Orlando and a 5-year-old Clermont girl were all pronounced dead on the scene. The girl was not properly restrained in a car seat, and none of the adults were wearing seatbelts, Crescenzi said.

County Road 561 is currently shut down between Lake Nellie Road and Florida Boys Ranch Road, drivers are asked to use an alternate route.

Clermont 5-year-old and 3 Adults Killed in Early Morning Crash, CR 561 Shutdown, Troopers Say Read More »

PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff's Office

Man Causes $50K Damage to Clermont Business, Bites Groveland Police Officer

Clermont, Groveland, Inside Scoop, Minneola / By

CLERMONT, Florida—A Clermont man already in the Lake County Jail facing serious charges now stands accused of driving through a rollup door and causing $50,000 damage to a local business last month.

Adaly Flores Flores, 30, of Clermont, was arrested shortly before 8 p.m. May 26 after allegedly striking multiple vehicles in Groveland’s Cypress Oaks neighborhood, striking a portable potty, light poles and finally crashing into a retention pond, before charging toward a witness and running through a retention pond into a marshy area, according to an arrest affidavit.

Groveland Police officers and a Florida Highway Patrol trooper located Flores in the marshy area and ordered him to come out and he refused, the affidavit states. Flores resisted two GPD officers, biting one of them, as they took him into custody.

In that case, Flores was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, no driver license and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage. After Flores was medically cleared, he was booked into LCJ and held on $11,000 bond. At the time, GPD officers did not know his crime spree began earlier that night in Clermont.

About 30 minutes before the incident in Groveland, Flores’ blue Toyota Camry was captured on video surveillance pulling into Safelite Auto Glass, 902 Jan Mar Court, Clermont. Flores is seen exiting the Camry, checking door handles and looking inside commercial vehicles. Flores then gets back in the Camry and drives around the parking lot, striking a dumpster in the process. He gets out to check for damage on the car and checks the door handles and vehicles again, according to a second arrest affidavit.

Flores gets back in the Camry and after several minutes accelerates towards a rollup door, stops and then accelerates again and drives through the door. He backs out and leaves the business and is located by GPD officers 12 minutes later after they received a call about a reckless driver, according to the affidavit.

LCSO responded to Safelite and found $50,000 worth of damage to the building, along with $2,000 damage to a silver Honda Civic that was parked inside. LCSO matched the car in the video to the car Flores was driving and found physical evidence, including silver paint transferred from the Civic, the affidavit states.

Flores is facing two counts of felony criminal mischief in addition to the charges from Groveland Police Department. He is also facing an unknown added charge and is being held in LCJ on no bond.

Man Causes $50K Damage to Clermont Business, Bites Groveland Police Officer Read More »

PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff's Office

“Irate” Woman Upset about the Care of her Animals Accused of Pepper Spraying Child, 3 Adults

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

CLERMONT, Florida—A Davenport woman apparently upset about the way someone was caring for her animals, pepper sprayed three adults and a child last week and is now facing three counts of battery, one count of child abuse and one county of burglary, according to an arrest affidavit.

Dominique M. Glaspey, 19, was “extremely upset” that the woman who was caring for her animals left one inside of a vehicle while she went into a local business, according to the affidavit.

Glaspey went to the woman’s home on Greater Groves Boulevard in unincorporated Clermont Saturday night and wanted her animals back, the affidavit states. The woman gave the animals back and tried to close the door because Glaspey was “irate,” and Glaspey put her foot and head in the doorway, while screaming and yelling. The victim was able to shut the door and Glaspey kicked and pushed the front door attempting to gain entry.

One of the victims exited the home and asked Glaspey to leave and she retreated to her vehicle and returned to the home with pepper spray and allegedly sprayed three adults and a child. The names and ages of the victims were not available in the affidavit. Glaspey fled the scene and one of the victims called 9-1-1. Lake County Sheriff’s Office and EMS responded to treat the victims, according to the affidavit.

Glaspey was interviewed by an LCSO detective Monday, and she reportedly said she, “was sorry for what happened and would turn herself in (Tuesday).” She failed to turn herself in before the warrant was issued but did turn herself in about an hour later at the Lake County Jail, where she is being held on $20,000 bond.

“Irate” Woman Upset about the Care of her Animals Accused of Pepper Spraying Child, 3 Adults Read More »

PHOTO: Florida Highway Patrol

Clermont Woman Ejected, Dies in Crash

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

CLERMONT, Florida—A Clermont woman died in a single-vehicle crash shortly after midnight Wednesday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The 32-year-old woman was driving a 2015 Mercedes Benz SUV northbound on County Road 561 near Cypress Cove Lane when she lost control and left the roadway at 12:19 a.m. Wednesday, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

The woman collied with a tree stump, causing the SUV to overturn and eject her. She was pronounced dead on the scene, and she was not wearing a seatbelt. The crash remains under investigation.

Clermont Woman Ejected, Dies in Crash Read More »

PHOTO: Eagleridge HOA

Couple’s Raunchy Escapade at Community Pool Lands Them in Jail

Clermont, Inside Scoop / By

CLERMONT, Florida—A couple who apparently could not keep their hands off each other at a neighborhood pool and in the backseat of a patrol vehicle are each facing three counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition charges after Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies busted them in the act.

A mom of three children, aged 4, 7 and 10 asked her friend to call LCSO around 7:45 p.m. Sunday, after she and her children witnessed Steven John Angrignon, 58 and Michelle Lynn Austin Lewis, 49, both of Clermont, involved in sexual activities at the community pool on Golden Eagle Boulevard in the Eagleridge neighborhood, according to an arrest affidavit.

The mother told deputies Angrignon was lying on a lawn chair with his pants down and Lewis was on top of him and after about 20 minutes Lewis began performing oral sex on him while her children were swimming in the pool and other children were on the playground, according to the affidavit. The mother contacted her friend and asked her to call LCSO and the homeowner’s association.

After speaking with the mother, LCSO observed Lewis performing oral sex on Angrignon as they approached the exterior gate of the pool. Deputies placed the couple under arrest, and they were warned they were under surveillance when they were placed in the patrol vehicle. On their way to jail, Angrignon was observed fondling Lewis’ genitals with his feet, the affidavit states.

The couple remains in the Lake County Jail on $15,000 bond.

Couple’s Raunchy Escapade at Community Pool Lands Them in Jail Read More »

Photo courtesy of Shannon Cook

Third Annual Back the Blue Walk Scheduled for Saturday

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

TAVARES, Florida—Hundreds of people are expected to attend the third annual Lake County Backs the Blue Walk scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at Tavares’ Wooton Park.

In its third year, the walk began in 2019 to show support for law enforcement during a time when the “defund the police” movement was making its way across the country, event organizer Shannon Cook told Inside Lake. Representatives from several law enforcement agencies and numerous public officials are expected to be in attendance.

“The good ones needed to know they were appreciated,” Cook said.

Cook has always had respect for law enforcement officers and the job they do, she said. She grew up and was close friends with Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Wayne Koester who was killed in the line of duty Feb. 9, 2005. Koester, who was 33 at the time, and two other deputies were ambushed while responding to a domestic violence call. All three deputies were shot, and Koester succumbed to his injuries; the other two deputies recovered. Jason Wheeler was shot and paralyzed during his capture and convicted in Koester’s death.

PHOTO: Bonnie Whicher/Inside Lake

Cook was also close to Chris Daniels, who was serving as Lake County Sheriff when he was tragically killed in a charity bus race in 2006.

“Almost the entire time my son played baseball; Chris Daniels was his coach.” Cook said.

Cook told Inside Lake it is important the community show its support for all of the good officers and those who were lost in the line of duty. She is hoping for a large turnout Saturday, last year’s efforts were hampered by unusually cold weather and it was held Easter weekend.

Saturday’s walk is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at Wooton Park, 100 E. Ruby Street; donuts and coffee are being provided by Ralph Smith of Lake Tire & Auto before the event. Walkers will travel down Ruby Street to LCSO and then onto the Tavares Public Safety Complex before returning to Wooten Park for a hot dog lunch provided by Pamela O’Donnell and Vic Donahey of Vic’s Embers Catering.

Cook suggests participants use street parking in downtown Tavares, or park in the Tavares Parking Garage, 200 North Sinclair Avenue.

Third Annual Back the Blue Walk Scheduled for Saturday Read More »

Man Arrested for Molestation the Day after Touching Teenage Girl at Local Store

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

CLERMONT, Florida—A man who smacked a 14-year-old on the buttocks as she walked through a local Walmart with her family was arrested for lewd or lascivious molestation Friday.

The girl’s father told a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy that a man, later identified as Derik Manuel Bonet-Rodriguez, 28, of Clermont, walked past his wife, daughter and an unnamed female and swung his right arm back and “intentionally struck the buttocks of the 14-year-old with an open hand,” at Walmart, 550 U. S. Highway 27, Clermont around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, the arrest affidavit states.

The man then left on a bicycle that appeared to have a motor and white front forks; Walmart provided the video of the incident and the defendant leaving, according to the affidavit.

LCSO spotted the bicycle outside a local business Friday night and found Bonet-Rodriguez inside checking out. He was identified as the suspect after a deputy compared him to the video; he was taken into custody and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he is being held on $5,000 bond.

Man Arrested for Molestation the Day after Touching Teenage Girl at Local Store Read More »

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