Florida

No Arrests in Umatilla Murder Last Week, LCSO Developing Leads

UMATILLA Florida—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is developing leads in the murder of a 31-year-old man Nov. 8, Lt. John Herrell told Inside Lake Wednesday.

Antwain “Lil Daddy” Hart was found shot in front of a home at 38946 Merrell Avenue last week in the Southside area of unincorporated Umatilla. He was transported to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares by Lake EMS, but died during transport, Herrell said. LCSO has not released many details in the case.

Hart’s rental vehicle, a white 2022 Jeep Cherokee was stolen at the time he was shot and found about 12 hours later behind First Church of God-Eustis, 1550 North Highway 19, Eustis by Eustis Police officers, EPD Chief Craig Capri told Inside Lake last week. LCSO has not said if any evidence was found in the SUV.

Antwain “Lil Daddy” Hart was found shot in unincorporated Umatilla Nov. 8. Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives are developing leads.

Friends and family members of Hart expressed their sorrow through numerous social media posts following his death, and his celebration of life is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, First Baptist Church of Umatilla, 550 Hatfield Drive, Umatilla. His arrangements are being handled by Snow’s Funeral Ministry & Cremation Services in Ocala.

If you have information on Hart’s murder, call LCSO at 352-343-2101 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. Crimeline callers may be eligible for a reward.  

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Traffic Stop Leads to More than 100 Grams of Meth

UMATILLA, Florida—A painted taillight that caught the attention of a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy began a series of events that ended in a trip to jail for a DeLand man Friday night after he was found with more than 125 grams of methamphetamine.

Shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, the deputy spotted a blue Mercedes with what the deputy thought was an inoperable taillight on State Road 19 south of Umatilla. As the deputy approached the car, it was apparent the lights were painted and the driver side taillight was painted darker, making it appear very dim, according to an arrest affidavit.

The deputy noticed the car’s high beam headlights were on and the driver failed to dim them as oncoming traffic approached. The car turned onto a side street and the deputy pulled off on the side of the road. Moments later, the car passed the deputy again, still with its high beams on and pulled into Circle K at State Road 19 and Ocala Street with the deputy close behind.

The deputy initiated a traffic stop and both the front passenger and rear passengers opened their doors. The deputy ordered them to remain in the car. The front passenger left his door ajar and the deputy spotted a fixed blade hatchet at his feet, the affidavit states, and he was removed from the car. Inside Lake is not naming either passenger because they were not charged with a crime.

While speaking with the passengers, LCSO noticed a glass pipe in the center console and a Umatilla Police officer arrived on scene to assist. LCSO asked the driver, Brandon Peter Torres, 36, to step out of the car and the deputy noticed a large clear bag protruding out of the front pocket of his hoodie. Torres was searched and found with a total of three bags of methamphetamine; one weighed 112 grams, the second weighed 15 grams and the smallest bag weighed just over 2 grams.

Torres was arrested for trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on $51,000 bond.

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Mount Dora Police Seeking Public’s Assistance Identifying Man Who “Sexually Assaulted” Young Female

MOUNT DORA, Florida—Mount Dora Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a man who “sexually assaulted” a young female in his vehicle earlier this week.

According to MDPD, the young female, whose age has not been released, was walking home in the area of Eudora Road and Old U.S. Highway 441 Tuesday when the man pulled off to the side of the road and began talking to the female.

The female got into his vehicle and a “sexual assault” occurred, according to an MDPD crime bulletin. It is unclear exactly what happened to her and there is no description of the vehicle. MDPD was not made aware of the incident until Friday, they said.

If you have information on the man’s identity, call MDPD Criminal Investigations at 352-735-7130.

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Fiery Crash Kills Tavares Woman in Umatilla Thursday Night

UMATILLA, Florida—A 39-year-old woman was speeding before she crashed her car into a tree and it burst into flames in unincorporated Umatilla, witnesses told the Florida Highway Patrol.

Around 9 p.m. Thursday, the Tavares woman was driving a 2009 Chevy Malibu northbound on West 4th Avenue approaching West 7th Street when she lost control, ran off the roadway and struck a tree, causing the car to become engulfed in flames, according to FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi. Witnesses told troopers the woman was speeding before the crash.

PHOTO: Sean Curry

She was transported to Central Florida Regional Medical Center in Sanford, where she later died, Crescenzi said.

This was second Lake County resident killed in traffic crash in less than 16 hours. Shortly before 6 a.m. Thursday, a crash on Florida’s Turnpike in Orange County killed a tow truck driver from Poinciana and a Groveland man as Hurricane Nicole made its way across Orange County.

Both crashes remain under investigation, Crescenzi said.

2 Killed in Turnpike Crash Early Thursday, Including Tow Truck Driver

Fiery Crash Kills Tavares Woman in Umatilla Thursday Night Read More »

2 Killed in Turnpike Crash Early Thursday, Including Tow Truck Driver

ORANGE COUNTY, Florida—A Groveland man and a tow truck driver are both dead following a crash on Florida’s Turnpike early Thursday morning as Hurricane Nicole made its way across Orange County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

An FHP trooper and a tow truck were working a single-vehicle crash, facing southbound on the inside shoulder, around 5:45 a.m. Thursday; the tow truck, being driven by a 42-year-old Poinciana man, was parked in front of the marked cruiser and both vehicles had their emergency lights activated, near mile marker 266, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

A Groveland man, 53, was driving 2000 Isuzu Hombre southbound on Florida’s Turnpike when he lost control and swerved for an unknown reason near the original crash scene. The Hombre struck the right rear of the tow truck and then struck the tow truck driver, who was standing outside truck, killing him, Crescenzi said. The driver of the Hombre was also pronounced dead on the scene.

A passenger in the Hombre, a 51-year-old Clermont man, was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.

2 Killed in Turnpike Crash Early Thursday, Including Tow Truck Driver Read More »

Man Shot Near Umatilla Tuesday, Dies On the Way to the Hospital

UMATILLA, Florida—A man is dead following a shooting in unincorporated Umatilla Tuesday afternoon, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Lt. John Herrell.

LCSO responded to a report of shots fired at 3:25 p.m. Tuesday around Merrell Avenue in the area known as Southside, and when they arrived, they found a man shot at a home at 38946 Merrell Avenue. Paramedics transported the man, but he died on the way to the hospital, Herrell said.

AdventHealth Waterman was placed on lockdown for a short amount of time, standard procedure when a shooting victim is brought to a hospital. The shooting also delayed the release of both Umatilla Middle School and Umatilla Elementary School, according to concerned parents who reached out to Inside Lake.  

A man was found shot at a house on Merrell Avenue in unincorporated Umatilla Tuesday afternoon. He died on the way to the hospital PHOTO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake

At least a dozen law enforcement officers responded, including LCSO and Umatilla Police and numerous onlookers were near the scene about 45 minutes after the call was received. No arrests have been made.

Friends and family members have identified the man to Inside Lake, but we are awaiting confirmation from LCSO, who did not release the man’s name Tuesday night. Sources have also said the motive was robbery, but that has not been confirmed by LCSO.

If you have information on the shooting, call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

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Crash Monday Kills One Man, Lands Another in Jail

LEESBURG, Florida—The driver who rear-ended a man, causing a chain-reaction crash Monday morning that killed the man, does not have a license, the Florida Highway Patrol said following the crash.

Around 7:20 a.m. Monday, Gustavo Martinez Cortez, 36, of Eustis was driving a 2003 Chevy Silverado southbound on County Road 44 when he failed to stop for a 2004 Toyota Corolla that was stopped in the southbound lane, waiting to turn on Silver Lake Road, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said.

The Silverado struck the Corolla, being driven by a 42-year-old Eustis man, and pushed it into the northbound lane, causing the front of a tractor-trailer to collide with the right side of the Corolla. The Corolla rotated, reentered the southbound lane, and struck a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage head-on. The crash partially ejected the driver of the Corolla, and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

The driver of the Mirage, a 23-year-old DeLand woman was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 69-year-old Avon Park man, and Cortez were not injured, Crescenzi said. The crash shut down County Road 44 for most of the day Monday.

Cortez was arrested for driving without a license and causing death; he is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.

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Fatal Crash Shuts Down CR 44 Monday Morning

LEESBURG, Florida—A fatal crash involving four vehicles has closed County Road 44 at Silver Lake Road in unincorporated Leesburg Monday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 7:20 a.m. Monday and killed a 42-year-old man from Eustis driving a 2004 Toyota Corolla, said FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi.

A 23-year-old DeLand woman driving a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, Crescenzi said; a Eustis man, 36, driving a 2004 Chevy Silverado and a 69-year-old Avon Park man driving a 2021 tractor trailer were not injured.

Drivers are asked to seek an alternate route.

This is a developing story.

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Umatilla Teen Driving Mercedes Busted by Off Duty Deputy for Impersonating a Cop

EUSTIS, Florida—A teenager is being held on $6,000 bond after flipping on red and blue lights as he pulled over near a disabled vehicle Tuesday night—in front of a Lake County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy.

Joshua Michael Mazenka, 18, of Umatilla, was driving a black 2011 Mercedes on State Road 19 in Eustis around 10 p.m. Tuesday when he saw a disabled vehicle, turned on his illegal red and blue lights and pulled over, according to an arrest affidavit.

An LCSO detention deputy on his way home, saw the disabled vehicle and as he attempted to pull over, the Mercedes pulled in front of him with the flashing red and blue lights in the windshield, the deputy told Eustis Police. The uniformed deputy stepped out of his vehicle and when Mazenka saw him, he reportedly said, “Oh (expletive,)” and fled the scene in his Mercedes. The deputy called dispatch and began following Mazenka through a neighborhood and eventually Mazenka stopped in the parking lot of Winn Dixie at State Road 19 and County Road 44, the affidavit states.

EPD officers responded and when Mazenka first saw them, he blurted out, “I (expletive) up,” according to the affidavit. Officers observed a light bar in the back window attached with suction cups, in addition to a light bar in the backseat with one suction cup attached, and one still stuck to the windshield. The light bars were very similar to those used in law enforcement vehicles, the arresting officer noted in the affidavit.

Mazenka agreed to speak with officers, and he told them he was traveling north on State Road 19 when he saw a vehicle stopped with its hazard lights on. He turned on his red and blue lights “for safety” and pulled over to help.

“The way he used (the lights) is the same way (police) would use them,” EPD Capt. Jon Fahning told Inside Lake.

Mazenka said he saw the detention deputy behind him and he “knew he was in trouble” so he fled the scene. Then he decided it was best to stop and he pulled over at Winn Dixie, he told police. He also said LCSO had pulled him over recently; in that incident in September, he was pulled over for driving recklessly in Leesburg and the deputy observed red and blue lights in the front and back, along with lights in the grill. The deputy told Mazenka to remove the lights and he was given a ticket for following too closely.

Mazenka told officers he bought the lights on Amazon.

He was arrested for impersonating a police officer and having red and blue lights on a vehicle and was transported to the Lake County Jail. The Mercedes was towed and when the car when inventoried, an airsoft pistol was found that was an exact replica of a Glock 17, in addition to a pellet rifle.

When officers returned to the original scene to help the disabled vehicle and its occupants, it had already been towed, according to the affidavit.

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Low Bond on DUI Charge was an Error, Troopers Say. Suspect Turns Himself in on Upgraded Charge

TAVARES, Florida—The man accused of possessing cocaine and driving drunk in a crash that killed a 5-year-old boy turned himself in at the Lake County Jail Wednesday on a DUI manslaughter charge.

Daksh Wadhwa, 30, of Tavares, turned himself in just before 11 a.m. Wednesday after troopers issued a warrant for his arrest in the boy’s death Tuesday afternoon.  He is being held on $30,000 bond but sources close to the investigation told Inside Lake he is already in the process of bonding out. Turning in his passport was a condition of the bond, and it was turned in to the Lake County Clerk of Court Wednesday morning.

Wadhwa was driving a 2022 BMW 740I westbound on County Road 448 near Shirley Shores Road at 8:30 a.m. Saturday when he veered into the eastbound lane and both he, and the driver of a 2008 Honda Civic swerved to the left to avoid a collision. The right front of the BMW struck the right side of the Honda, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

The driver of the Honda, a 29-year-old Mount Dora woman, was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center with serious injuries; her passenger, a 5-year-old boy identified as her son in social media posts, was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children with critical injuries. He succumbed to his injuries late Sunday night, Crescenzi said.

Wadhwa, who was unsteady on his feet and had alcohol emanating from his breath, according to the arrest report, provided a breath sample and his BAC was .189, more than twice the legal limit of .08. He has extensive traffic citation history; according to Lake County Clerk of Court online records Wadhwa has had 18 tickets since 2010.

He was arrested for DUI with serious bodily injury, possession of cocaine and smuggling contraband into a correctional facility. He was released on $3,000 bond Saturday.

Our trooper completed a thorough investigation, determined impairment, obtained a breath test result of 0.189, and charged the driver appropriately for DUI and possession of cocaine. After the crash investigation, the driver was immediately booked into the Lake County Jail,” Crescenzi said.

Many of our readers questioned why the bond was so low.

“The trooper errantly entered the original bond amount on the arrest report for the initial DUI charge. It was not reported as an error until the driver had already bonded out. Training has been completed with the trooper to provide the correct bond schedule,“ Crescenzi told Inside Lake.

Low Bond on DUI Charge was an Error, Troopers Say. Suspect Turns Himself in on Upgraded Charge Read More »

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