LCSO

Deputies searching for man accused of robbing South Lake pharmacist at gunpoint

CLERMONT, Fla.—Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies are searching for a man who robbed a pharmacist of prescription pills at gunpoint in the Four Corners area of unincorporated Clermont Tuesday morning. The suspect, described as a white male, weighing 170 to 180 pounds, with balding red hair and a beard, entered Walgreens,1600 U.S. Highway 27, Clermont, shortly before 9 a.m. and went to the pharmacy area of the store. He displayed a gun and robbed the pharmacist of prescription pills, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said. No one was injured, and the man, who had tattoos on at least one of his […]

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Leesburg police investigating possible drowning

LEESBURG, Fla.—Leesburg Police Department is investigating after a man’s body was found floating in Lake Harris near Ski Beach Monday night. The man’s body was spotted near Ski Beach Bar and Grill around 7:15 p.m. and Leesburg Fire Department (LFD) responded with its boat, along with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search and Recovery Team. The man’s body was recovered, and he was turned over to the medical examiner’s office to determine cause of death, but police believe it may have been a drowning, LPD Sgt. Shannon Walsh said. Police have identified the man, described as a 67-year-old black

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Man dies after being found with multiple gunshot wounds in Leesburg yard

LEESBURG, Fla.—Leesburg Police Department is investigating after a 20-year-old man was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds Monday afternoon. LPD responded to Aitkin Loop in Overlook at Lake Griffin around 2:30 p.m. Monday in reference to a shooting and found James Jordan in the front yard of a home in the 2200 block, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, LPD Sgt. Shannon Walsh said. Officers rendered aid to Jordan until EMS and Leesburg Fire Department arrived and Jordan was transported to UF Health Leesburg, where he succumbed to his injuries. LPD set up a perimeter and utilized a K9 unit and

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Father of young girl found dead in Montverde last month arrested on unrelated charges

TAVARES, Fla.—The father of a young girl found dead in Montverde last month was arrested last week on unrelated charges out of Polk County, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office online booking records. Lojuan Jamario Sessions, 26, father of 9-year-old Jamaria Sessions, was picked up at his job in Eustis Wednesday by Eustis Police Department on two warrants for violating probation, stemming from a 2019 Polk County case. In January 2019, Sessions was accused of fleeing from a Haines City Police Department officer after the officer found a bag of drugs, later determined to be amphetamine, in plain view in

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Medical examiner: Self-inflicted gunshot killed Altoona man found in burning home Saturday

ALTOONA, Fla.—The man found dead in his burning home Saturday took his own life, according to the medical examiner, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. Michael Gall, 49, was found dead in his home at 20332 Wood Duck Road in Altoona around 1 p.m. Saturday, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said. LCSO and Lake County Fire responded to the home after reports it was on fire and LCFR found Gall dead in the home. The medical examiner performed an autopsy Sunday and preliminary findings showed Gall died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Herrell. If you are struggling or

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Man found dead in burning Altoona home Saturday

ALTOONA, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a man was found dead in a burning home Saturday afternoon. LCSO and Lake County Fire Rescue responded to 20332 Wood Duck Road, Altoona around 1 p.m. on reports the home was on fire. LCFR removed a deceased male from the home, and authorities found he had an apparent gunshot wound, according to LCSO Lt. John Herrell. The man, identified as Michael Gall, 49, lived at the home and detectives are conducting a death investigation, Herrell said; no other information was released.

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Leesburg man accused of exposing himself on busy highway during road rage incident Sunday

LEESBURG, Fla.—A man was arrested after he was accused of exposing his genitals to three people in the middle of the day on a busy highway during a road rage incident Sunday afternoon. Shortly before 3:15 p.m. Sunday, a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a report of a road rage incident and indecent exposure. One of the victims told the deputy they were traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 27 when they slowed due to heavy rain, according to an arrest affidavit. A speeding silver Kia Optima swerved around their vehicle and cut them off. The Optima continued to

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Death of 9-year-old girl being treated as a homicide investigation, maternal family says

MONTVERDE, Fla.—The maternal family of the child found deceased in a Montverde home Monday has publicly identified her and they say the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has told them her death is a homicide investigation. Only Inside Lake spoke with the uncle and grandmother of Jamaria Sessions, 9, this week. According to Jamaria’s uncle Joseph Robinson, Jamaria and her younger sister, 5, had been living with their father, Lojuan Sessions since October 2023, and Jamaria was found deceased at his home in Montverde. Prior to that, they were living with their grandmother when Sessions picked them up from school without

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Information finally released following search warrants executed on gaming facilities earlier this month

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—Only Inside Lake was on the scene earlier this month as Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives, in conjunction with the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) searched an internet gaming facility in unincorporated Umatilla, and LCSO has finally released information regarding that search warrant and three more. On June 13, 2024, four search warrants were executed at different illegal gaming establishments in Lake County. Detectives with the Leesburg, Clermont, Eustis, and Mount Dora police departments also assisted with the investigation that stemmed from continued concerns that illegal gambling throughout Lake County leads to an increase in law enforcement calls

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Child found deceased at Montverde home, Medical Examiner to determine cause of death

MONTVERDE, Fla.—A 9-year-old child was found deceased by a family member at their home in Montverde Monday and turned over to the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The child’s name and gender were not released. Little information was available Tuesday, but “there is no danger to the public and the investigation is ongoing,” Cpl. Chanel Martin told Inside Lake.

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Law enforcement investigating internet gaming facilities in unincorporated Umatilla and Tavares

LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—There is a large law enforcement presence at two internet gaming facilities, one in unincorporated Umatilla and one in unincorporated Tavares, Thursday morning and Inside Lake is working to find out why. Inside Lake received multiple tips and was on the scene at Hotspot, 37415 State Road 19, Umatilla, briefly and witnessed several marked units from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at the business around 9:30 a.m. A tipster also said there was a law enforcement presence at another Hotspot, located at 11203 U.S. Highway 441, Tavares, near County Road 473. “We’re working an investigation regarding those gaming

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2nd suspect in Paisley home invasion nabbed Tuesday

TAVARES, Fla.—The man wanted for a home invasion and zip-tying a victim earlier this month is behind bars. James Kenneth Rohrer, 28, was taken into custody by Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies in the DeLand area of Lake County early Tuesday morning, according to public records. Rohrer is accused of zip-tying a man and ransacking his home, after his partner in crime, Kayla Louise Berlinski, 31, used a ruse to enter the home of Martin Bottom Jr. on May 12. Bottom Jr. said Berlinski arrived at his home, and he confronted her about a prior theft at his home. Berlinksi,

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Deputies OK after Clermont woman sprays them with chemical during well-being check

CLERMONT, Fla.—Four Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies are OK after being doused with a substance Friday by a woman while they performed a well-being check, according to an arrest affidavit. Deputies arrived at an apartment in unincorporated Clermont after a father requested a well-being check on his small child. The child’s age and address are redacted from the affidavit. They attempted to contact Crystal Lorraine Velez, 36, at her apartment and she did not answer the door. They found the door was unlocked but barricaded and “due to concerns for persons inside the apartment” they removed the barricade, entered the

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Woman wanted for home invasion, impersonating law enforcement in custody

PAISLEY, Fla.—The woman accused of a weekend home invasion near Paisley is in the Lake County Jail on no bond. Kayla Louise Berlinski, 31, of Paisley, was taken into custody Monday night, two hours after Inside Lake published its story on the incident that occurred around 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home near Paisley after a friend who checks on Marvin Bottom Jr. regularly, reported finding him bound with zip ties. Bottom Jr. said Berlinski arrived at his home Sunday, and he confronted her about a prior theft at his home. Berlinksi, wearing both

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Pair wanted for zip-tying Paisley man and invading his home Sunday, 1 suspect accused of impersonating police officer

PAISLEY, Fla.—A man and a woman are wanted by Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives after a Paisley man was found bound with zip ties in his home Sunday afternoon. LCSO responded to the home after someone reported finding the man with his hands bound behind his back, shortly before 12:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a probable cause affidavit. The victim, Marvin Bottom Jr., said Kayla Berlinski, arrived at his home Sunday and he confronted her about $30 he believed she stole from him on a prior visist to his home. Berlinksi, wearing both a jacket and a hat emblazoned with

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5th Annual Lake County Back the Blue and Red Walk

Photos from the 5th Annual Back the Blue and Red Walk. Organizer Shannon Cook has been supporting law enforcement since 2019 with this walk. This year, firefighters were added to the event, and the name was changed. PHOTOS: Bonnie Whicher/Special to Inside Lake

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Deputies investigating exchange of gunfire near Mount Dora Thursday

MOUNT DORA, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident that involved the occupants of two vehicles apparently shooting at each other Thursday afternoon in unincorporated Mount Dora. LCSO responded to Old Eustis Road around 5 pm. Thursday after someone reported shots were fired in the area, according to a report. A witness told a deputy he was outside when he heard what he believed to be fireworks. He then saw a silver midsize sedan traveling eastbound and what appeared to be a longer style gun firing shots from behind the car at a “metallic deep blue” truck traveling

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Major law enforcement presence in missing Mount Dora mom’s former neighborhood Friday

MOUNT DORA, Fla.—Multiple law enforcement agencies could be seen Friday searching multiple bodies of water in the neighborhood where Mount Dora mom Nicole Baldwin was reported missing in November 2023. Dive teams from several Central Florida sheriff’s offices converged on Lancaster at Loch Leven beginning around 8 a.m. Friday and searched multiple bodies of water and retention ponds near Strathmore Circle where Baldwin was reported missing by her daughter Alisha Baldwin in early November 2023, Mount Dora Police Department Spokesperson Misty Sommer told Inside Lake Friday. Dive teams from Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s

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Multiple law enforcement agencies search for missing Mount Dora mom Saturday

EUSTIS, Fla.—Only Inside Lake was on the scene as a large search was conducted Saturday by multiple law enforcement agencies for Mount Dora missing mom Nicole Baldwin. Law enforcement officers and volunteers searched areas near the east side of Eustis for Baldwin, who has been missing since early November 2023. Inside Lake witnessed searchers on foot, along with additional searchers on ATVs and horses. The search spanned several hours and ended early in the afternoon Saturday. The search was planned for at least several weeks and a search of that magnitude involves a lot of preparation to coordinate with multiple

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Teen arrested for killing family cat in dryer Monday

MINNEOLA, Fla.—A teenager is facing a charge of animal cruelty—excessively cruel, after putting the family cat in the dryer and killing it, according to an arrest affidavit. Shortly before 6 p.m. Monday, Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home on Plum Lake Drive in Minneola on a report of a suspicious incident. When they arrived, the mother of Cayden Mikkel Williams told a deputy her son had just killed the family cat, named “Mouse” by putting it in the dryer. She said when she was coming into the neighborhood with her other children, she saw Williams walking and

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Astatula Police corporal suspended following domestic battery arrest

ASTATULA, Fla.—An Astatula Police Department corporal is suspended and under internal investigation following an arrest for domestic battery last week. Erick Capraun, 50, who has been with APD since 2016, was arrested by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office after his girlfriend said he had been drinking and pushed her Thursday afternoon. She told deputies when she walked into the house in unincorporated Leesburg, Capraun started yelling at her over financial issues and pushed her in the shoulder. The argument ensued and he reportedly said, “stupid (expletive) I’m going to lose my dog.” Capraun did serve as a K9 handler for

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Man apologizes for having sex with minor in recorded phone call, facing 13 charges

MINNEOLA, Fla.— An elementary school custodian was arrested last week after an underage girl told her guardian she had sex with him a few days before, according to an arrest affidavit. The girl told Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives James Pacheco, 19, of Minneola, told her he was 17 years old and a student in Groveland after they began communicating in January after meeting on Snapchat. On March 12, the girl, whose age is redacted from the affidavit, went to Pacheco’s Minneola home where they had consensual sex, she said. She said the encounter was painful, but she did not

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Clermont woman who was “acting strange and talking about having premonitions” arrested for killing husband

CLERMONT, Fla.—A woman is facing a first-degree murder charge after shooting and killing her husband late Sunday night, according to an arrest affidavit. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to 10649 Lake Ralph Drive in unincorporated Clermont just before 10:10 p.m. on a report of a homicide and when they arrived, the complainant whose name is redacted from the affidavit, escorted a deputy into the home where Maria Jose Rodriguez, 40, was sitting in the dining room. She was secured in handcuffs and placed in a patrol vehicle and deputies then found her husband, Andrew Rodriguez, 40, lying on his

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Leesburg search warrant takes multiple guns and trafficking amounts of drugs of the streets

LEESBURG, Fla.—A search warrant earlier this week took multiple guns and trafficking amounts of drugs off the street and landed a Leesburg man in jail whose criminal history dates back 26 years, according to an arrest affidavit. Around 8 p.m. Tuesday, the Lake County Sherriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit (SIU,) LCSO SWAT, Homeland Security agents and detectives with Clermont, Eustis, Leesburg and Mount Dora police departments executed a search warrant at 2519 Myer Ave., Leesburg and found Walter Canady, 43, sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle in the driveway and 12 other people at the home. Upon searching

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More charges for accused Eustis serial burglar

EUSTIS, Fla.—The man accused of multiple thefts in Eustis and Mount Dora beginning in October 2023 is now facing more charges, according to Eustis Police Department. Jordan Makuannen, 19, has been held in the Lake County Jail on no bond since he was arrested earlier this week after Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies worked together and took him into custody after he bailed out of a stolen vehicle near the Lake County/Polk County line. Makuannen is now facing additional charges related to the stolen Dodge Durango he dumped at Club at Eustis Apartments March

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Leesburg woman arrested after boy tells his mom she touched him while he was sleeping

LEESBURG, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office quickly arrested a Leesburg woman early Saturday morning after a boy told his mother she inappropriately touched him while he was sleeping. LCSO responded to a home in unincorporated Leesburg after the boy’s mom reported her son had called her “in a complete panic” and said he woke up to Anna Jackson, 38, rubbing his genitals and inner thigh, according to an arrest affidavit. The boy, whose name is redacted because he is the victim of a sex crime, is between 12 and 15 years old, his exact age is also redacted. He told

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LCSO: No apparent foul play in death of man Friday

LEESBURG, Fla.—Authorities have released the name of the man pronounced dead at a Leesburg gas station Friday and they do not believe his death was the result of foul play, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Dispatchers at Leesburg Police Department received a call from a person attempting to drive someone to the hospital Friday afternoon and they were instructed to pull over if they needed medical assistance, LCSO Cpl. Chanel Martin told Inside Lake Friday. Leesburg Police Department Capt. Joe Iozzi said investigators determined the incident began in LCSO’s jurisdiction and LCSO took over the investigation. The driver

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LCSO investigating after EMS pronounces person deceased at Leesburg gas station

Update: LCSO: No apparent foul play in death of man Friday – Inside Lake LEESBURG, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a death that occurred Friday. Dispatchers at Leesburg Police Department received a call from a person attempting to drive someone to the hospital and they were instructed to pull over if they needed medical assistance, LCSO Cpl. Chanel Martin told Inside Lake. They pulled over at Wawa, 1400 North Boulevard, Leesburg and when EMS arrived, they found a person was deceased, Martin said. Leesburg Police Department Capt. Joe Iozzi said investigators determined the incident began in LCSO’s jurisdiction

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Clermont man accused of exposing himself to minor in store parking lot in February

CLERMONT, Fla.—An 18-year-old man is scheduled to be arraigned later this month on a charge of lewd and lascivious exhibition after being accused of exposing himself to a minor female in the parking lot of a busy store in February. On Feb. 23, the girl told a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy she walked up to the vehicle she was riding in the parking lot of Kohl’s, 12305 U.S. Highway 27, Clermont when Ismael Torres Marchany, of Clermont, “startled her.” She said Marchany was making a “hissing” sound and when she turned around, he was exposing and touching himself, according

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Eustis man held on no bond after baseball bat attack

EUSTIS, Fla.—A baseball bat attack sent one man to the hospital by helicopter and another man to the Lake County Jail, late Sunday night, according to an arrest affidavit. Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Waycross Avenue and Gables Drive, near Eustis around 10:30 p.m. Sunday after a witness reported she saw a man, later identified as Jamie Hoover Locklear, 41, strike another man in the head with a black metal baseball bat. When deputies arrived, they found a man, who was not publicly identified, suffering from a “severe laceration” on his head, approximately 3 inches long, the affidavit

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Georgia Man Accused of Shooting Friend as they Travel on the Turnpike near Clermont Sunday Night

CLERMONT, Fla.—A Georgia man is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond after being accused of shooting his friend as they traveled on Florida’s Turnpike late Sunday night. The Florida Highway Patrol asked for assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office around 10:30 p.m. Sunday in reference to a man stopping vehicles and asking for help. Not long after, LCSO received a 911 call from an unnamed individual stating someone was banging on their door and asking for help in unincorporated Clermont, according to an arrest affidavit. Deputies responded to the home and found Bounmy Xayavong, who

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Argument Over Drill Led to Shooting Near Fruitland Park Friday

FRUITLAND PARK, Fla.—The man accused of shooting another man in unincorporated Fruitland Park Friday is now facing an attempted murder charge. According to an arrest affidavit, Scott Hutcheson and Michael Robert Corkill, 39, got into an argument after Corkill grabbed Hutcheson’s drill while he was at a friend’s house working on a four-wheeler. Hutcheson told Corkill not to touch his things and Corkill reportedly said, “I’ve got something for your (expletive,)” and walked across the street to his home at 36751 Shadow Hill Drive, according to an arrest affidavit. Corkill then stepped out of his home, stood in his driveway,

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Deputies take Suspected Shooter into Custody after nearly 4 Hours

FRUITLAND PARK, Fla.—A man suspected of shooting another man in unincorporated Fruitland Park Friday is in custody, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Lt. John Herrell. Few details were released in the incident that began around 3 p.m. and ended nearly four hours later around 7 p.m. on Shadow Hill Drive near Fruitland Park. Herrell told Inside Lake the male suspect shot another man in the arm during an argument and refused to speak with deputies. The suspect, whose name has not been released, was transported to the Lake County Jail after being taken into custody; the victim was transported

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BREAKING NEWS: Large Law Enforcement Presence Near Fruitland Park, Deputies Attempting to take Shooting Suspect into Custody

Update: Deputies take Suspected Shooter into Custody after nearly 4 Hours – Inside Lake   FRUITLAND PARK, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is working to take a suspect into custody who allegedly shot another man Friday afternoon, according to LCSO Lt. John Herrell. LCSO released few details Friday afternoon but did tell Inside Lake the male suspect shot another man in the arm and deputies had not been able to contact the suspected shooter at press time. The incident began as an argument and the victim has non-life-threatening injuries, Herrell said. Witnesses told Inside Lake there is a large law

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Argument Leads to Shooting and Lands Leesburg Man in Jail

LEESBURG, Fla.—A Leesburg man is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond after shooting another man in unincorporated Leesburg late Monday night. Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home on County Road 452 shortly before 11:30 p.m. Monday on a report of an argument between Brandon Saunders and Mike Ford, according to an arrest affidavit. When deputies arrived, they found Ford lying on the ground suffering from two gunshot wounds and they began rendering aid to Ford, who was in and out of consciousness. He told deputies Saunders came after him and Ford “laid him

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Man who Killed French Bulldog in 2021 Clermont Botched C-Section Headed to Prison

CLERMONT, Fla.—One of the men arrested after a botched C-section killed Lyla the French bulldog in Clermont in 2021, is headed to prison after pleading no contest to numerous charges last week, according to Lake County Clerk of Court online records. Frankie Huertas Rivera, 36, pleaded no contest Friday—exactly three years to the day Lyla lost her life. In 2021, Larry Colon, then 50, paid Rivera $650 to perform a C-section on Lyla in Colon’s living room and Colon’s daughter filmed the horrific surgery and posted it to TikTok Feb. 9, 2021. According to a probable cause affidavit in the

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Deputies Searching for Sorrento Man Last Seen Thursday

Update: Bernard Jeanty has been found in Volusia County.  SORRENTO, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man who was last seen Thursday at his home in Sorrento. According to an LCSO social media post, Bernard Jeanty, 51, left his home sometime during the day in his black 2019 Nissan Pathfinder, along with his dog. Jeanty is described as a black male, 5 feet 11 inches tall and approximately 150 to 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing pink sweatpants and a black shirt. If you have information on Jeanty’s whereabouts, call LCSO Det. VanBuskirk at 352-343-9529 or

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Deputies Searching Missing Sorrento Woman Suffering from Dementia

Update: Linda Billig was found in Winter Springs, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.  SORRENTO, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance with locating an 80-year-old Sorrento woman reported missing Monday morning. Linda Derr Billig, 80, was reported missing from her home on PGA Drive in Sorrento shortly before 8:45 a.m. and suffers from dementia, LCSO Public Information Officer Chanel Martin said. A Silvert Alert has been issued for Billig, and she is described as a white female, 5 feet, 6 inches tall, with gray hair, brown eyes and weighs approximately 175 pounds.  She is believed

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PHOTO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake

Incident with Barricaded Mount Dora Man Ends Peacefully

MOUNT DORA, Fla.—An incident with a barricaded subject in Mount Dora came to a peaceful end about seven hours after it started Sunday night. A man, who has not been identified publicly, was having a mental health crisis and barricaded himself in a building at Hammock Oaks Apartments, 3550 Lake Center Drive, Mount Dora, shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday. Mount Dora Police Department responded to the scene and Tavares Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office assisted, City of Mount Dora Spokesperson Misty Sommer said, and some residents were evacuated from their homes. The ordeal lasted until nearly midnight

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PHOTO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake

Barricaded Subject Forces Mount Dora Residents Out of Their Homes

Update: Incident with Barricaded Mount Dora Man Ends Peacefully – Inside Lake MOUNT DORA, Fla.—At least three law enforcement agencies are on scene at a Mount Dora apartment complex due to a barricaded subject. Mount Dora Police Department, Tavares Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to Hammock Oaks Apartments, 3550 Lake Center Drive, Mount Dora in reference to a subject having a “mental health crisis,” shortly before 5 p.m. TPD Public Information Officer Courtney Sullivan told Inside Lake. Some residents were evacuated from their homes,” City of Mount Dora Spokesperson Misty Sommer said. “We believe he’s isolated,

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Mom Accused of Kidnapping 2 Daughters Fled from Louisiana State Police Before Capture

LINCOLN PARISH, La.—The mom accused of kidnapping her two daughters from a Lake County foster home fled from Louisiana State Police (LSP) when they attempted stop her Friday and is now facing additional charges. LSP troopers received information from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office that Dixie Williams, 41, may be traveling on Interstate 20 in a silver Nissan Rogue and troopers spotted the Nissan and initiated a traffic stop, just before 12:15 p.m. local time. Williams came to a brief stop on Interstate 20 westbound, east of LA-145 and then fled from troopers, according to LSP. After a brief pursuit

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FOUND SAFE: Missing Lake County Sisters Found in Louisiana

LOUISIANA—A pair of sisters kidnapped from a Sorrento foster home have been found safe in Louisiana, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Louisiana authorities found Tilli, 5, and Natalia, 18 months, with their biological mother, Dixie Williams, who is now in custody on a warrant for kidnapping, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said Friday afternoon. No other details were available at press time.

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VIDEO: Suspect in Sorrento Missing Children Case Arrested in ’22, Claimed She was “Traveling” and Did Not Need a License

EUSTIS, Fla.—Inside Lake has obtained body cam video from the 2022 arrest of a woman suspected of taking her children from a Sorrento foster home. Dixie Williams, 41, was arrested Dec. 4, 2022, by Eustis Police Department after a sergeant spotted her not wearing a seatbelt and pulled her over. After stopping Williams, EPD found she did not have a driver license and she claimed she did not need one because she was ”traveling” and not “driving.” The Michigan license plate attached to the maroon Chevy truck she was driving was not registered and as officers took Williams into custody,

VIDEO: Suspect in Sorrento Missing Children Case Arrested in ’22, Claimed She was “Traveling” and Did Not Need a License Read More »

Amber Alert Issued for Girls Missing from Sorrento

SORRENTO, Fla.—An Amber Alert has been issued for two children missing from Sorrento. At 7 a.m. Thursday, the foster mother of Tilli and Natalia Williams reported the girls missing from her home at 23419 Companero Drive in Sorrento. She told the Lake County Sheriff’s Office she last saw the girls at 11 p.m. Wednesday, according to LCSO Lt. John Herrell. According to the Amber Alert, the girls may be in the company of Dixie Williams, 41. Williams is described as a white female, 5 feet, 2 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes, and weighs approximately 200 pounds. She

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Deputies Searching for Sisters Who Disappeared from Sorrento Foster Home

SORRENTO, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a pair of young sisters who disappeared from their Sorrento foster home overnight. At 7 a.m. Thursday, the foster mother of Tillie and Natalia Williams reported the girls missing from her home at 23419 Companero Drive in Sorrento. She told LCSO she last saw the girls at 11 p.m. Wednesday, according to LCSO Lt. John Herrell. “Lake County Sheriff’s detectives are on scene and actively investigating. Detectives are looking into the possibility that the juveniles are with their biological mother and father, or if they have any information,” Herrell said in

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

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,

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

Leesburg Woman Arrested for Attempted Murder Held on No Bond

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

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Benefit for LCSO Deputy Diagnosed with Cancer Scheduled for Saturday

EUSTIS, Fla.—An event to benefit a Lake County Sheriff’s Office school resource deputy who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year is scheduled for Saturday. What started as chest pain in 2022 turned into a terrifying diagnosis last summer for LCSO Cpl. Adam Tytler. In November 2022, Tytler went to a cardiologist for ongoing chest pain, and after a EKG showed his heart was in good shape, the cardiologist told him the pain was likely gastrointestinal. The next month, on Christmas Eve, Tytler discovered a swollen lymph node on his neck and by February the lymph node had not gotten

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Suspected Thief Nabbed at Sorrento Home Where Explosives were Found Last Month

SORRENTO, Fla.—A suspected thief was arrested on Halloween after a victim located his belongings on Craigslist for sale and sent the Lake County Sheriff’s Office photos of his items with the suspected thief in front of a Sorrento home, according to an arrest affidavit. After receiving the photos, LCSO detectives responded to 31624 Orange Street in Sorrento—the same home where explosives were found last month in the case against David Flores. Flores was arrested near that home after being on the run for several days stemming from an incident that began with an armed sexual battery. When detectives arrived at

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Tracking App Helps Nab Accused Umatilla Teenaged Armed Robber

UMATILLA, Fla.—A tracking app helped nab an accused teenaged armed robber earlier this week, according to an arrest affidavit. Juan “Slugga” Gomez Jr., 16, of Umatilla, is accused of robbing two victims of $500 on Orange Circle in Lady Lake Sunday. The victims told Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies a masked male suspect pointed a gun at them and demanded money, and a second male who was not wearing a mask helped him, the affidavit states. The victims identified Gomez through social media and LSCO found that he attended Umatilla High School. Gomes was secured and detained at UHS Monday,

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Man Arrested for Armed Robbery in Eustis Friday

EUSTIS, Fla.—A man suspected of an armed robbery in Eustis Friday is in the Lake County Jail on $50,500 bond. According to Eustis Police Department Chief Craig Capri, a man reported he was robbed of his wallet that contained around $400, his identification and a Cash App card Friday afternoon on East Hazzard Avenue. He told police the suspects were in an older blue SUV and a black Volkswagen, and he was walking on the side of a home in the 1200 block of East Hazzard Avenue when he felt two firearms on his back. He said two men, one

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5 Arrested in Lake County Child Sex Sting

TAVARES, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests of five people Monday who are accused of traveling with the intent to have sex with a juvenile earlier this month. “After unknowingly talking online with an undercover detective, the subjects traveled to a predetermined location with the intent to have sex with a child. All suspects were taken into custody upon arrival,” LCSO said in a statement. The suspects are: Musa Sawaneh, 25, who traveled from Temple Terrace. Jason Spencer, 40, who traveled from Tavares. Kahlil Amilivia Rodriguez, 25, who traveled from Groveland. Bhaveshkuma Vekaria, 45, who traveled from Orlando.

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Fruitland Park Man Admits to Strangling his Dog and Cat

FRUITLAND Park, Fla.—A Fruitland Park man has been released from the Lake County Jail on bond after admitting to deputies he strangled his dog and cat, according to an arrest affidavit. Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home in Fruitland Park Thursday morning on a report of a man, later identified as William Victor Brown, 65, having “homicidal/suicidal tendencies.” The complainant said Brown told her had strangled his black and white cat and black and brown Chihuahua Wednesday night and he wanted to kill himself with his gun, the affidavit states. Deputies spoke with Brown, who admitted he

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Bulletproof Vest, Explosive Devices, Guns and Drugs Found During Search Warrant, Suspect Now Facing Federal Charges

SORRENTO, Fla.—Only Inside Lake reported on a search warrant that was executed on a home connected to David Flores Thursday afternoon and now the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has revealed what was found. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives (ATF,) and LCSO’s SWAT Team, Hazardous Device Team (bomb squad,) detectives and crime scene investigators searched the home located at 31624 Orange Street, Sorrento Thursday afternoon and into the early evening hours. “During the search, detectives located firearms, a ballistic vest, fentanyl, and other drugs. The vest that was collected matches the description of the one the victim

Bulletproof Vest, Explosive Devices, Guns and Drugs Found During Search Warrant, Suspect Now Facing Federal Charges Read More »

Large Law Enforcement Presence at Home Where Wanted Man Found in Sorrento Earlier this Week

SORRENTO, Fla.— Numerous law enforcement officers were at the home Thursday night where a wanted man was apprehended earlier this week conducting a “follow-up investigation”, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Lt. John Herrell told Inside Lake. Multiple sources reached out to Inside Lake Thursday evening and said law enforcement officers from multiple agencies were at the home at 31624 Orange Street in Sorrento, including LCSO and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office around 6:30 p.m. This is the same home David Flores, 37, fled from early Wednesday morning after being on the run from deputies for more than two days. Flores was

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Deputies Investigating Several Suspicious Incidents in Mount Plymouth Tuesday Night

MOUNT PLYMOUTH, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating several reports of suspicious incidents in Mount Plymouth Tuesday night, including shots fired near at least two homes; and in one incident, a bullet entered a home through a sliding glass door. According to a report, deputies responded to an unoccupied home around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday on Troon Avenue after the complainant saw an unknown person, possibly a Hispanic male, walking around the residence on surveillance video.  While responding to that call, another call came in reporting a shot had been fired through a sliding glass door at a nearby home.

Deputies Investigating Several Suspicious Incidents in Mount Plymouth Tuesday Night Read More »

VIDEO: LCSO K9 Takes a Bite Out of Crime and Apprehends Suspect Wanted Since Sunday

SORRENTO, Fla.—A tip to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the apprehension of the man who was the subject of an extensive search in Eustis Sunday night. LCSO responded to a home on Orange Street in Sorrento just after midnight Wednesday and began searching the property for David Flores, 37, and he fled on foot, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said. “A sheriff’s K-9 located him shortly thereafter hiding in a hole where it appeared trees had been cleared,” Herrell said in an email. K9 Ex bit Flores and he was treated for minor injuries and later transported to the

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Captured: Man who was Subject of Extensive Search in Eustis Sunday Night Taken into Custody

SORRENTO, Fla.—The man the Lake County Sheriff’s Office searched for by ground and air for several hours Sunday night has been taken into custody and Inside Lake is working on getting details on his apprehension. David Flores, 37, was suspected of an aggravated assault that occurred in the county portion of Bates Avenue around 5:30 p.m. Sunday and according to LCSO online booking records he was taken into custody shortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday in Sorrento. He is facing a charge of resisting arrest and two bond revocation orders from previous arrests; he is being held without bond due to

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After Extensive Search Sunday Night in Eustis, Wanted Suspect Still on the Lam

EUSTIS, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is still searching for a suspect who was the subject of an extensive search in Eustis Sunday night. David Flores, 37, is the suspect in an aggravated assault that occurred in the county portion of Bates Avenue around 5:30 p.m. Sunday and he also has an active warrant for burglary, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said. Rumors were flying on social media Sunday night as residents watched numerous deputies and Eustis Police Department officers search the area around Eustis Middle School and DeLand Road, commonly known as the Eustis bypass. Tavares Police Chief Sarah Coursey

After Extensive Search Sunday Night in Eustis, Wanted Suspect Still on the Lam Read More »

LCSO and EPD Search for “Possibly Armed” and “Dangerous” Suspect

EUSTIS, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Eustis Police Department and Eagle One, LCSO’s helicopter, are searching for a suspect near Eustis Middle School wanted in an aggravated assault case. LCSO received a report of an aggravated assault around 5:30 pm. Sunday at a home on Bates Avenue in LCSO’s jurisdiction, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said. Deputies received information that the suspect was David Flores, 37, and he was armed and had fled on foot into nearby woods. “The Sheriff’s Office has been on scene trying to investigate the situation and locate the suspect, with little cooperation from the victim,” Herrell

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Jailbreak (In.) Man Captured on Video Breaking into Lake County Jail Thursday Night and being Tackled by Detention Deputies

TAVARES, Fla.—A man who tried to break into the Lake County Jail is now in the custody of the Lake County Jail after detention deputies tackled him inside the jail Thursday night. In what Lake County Sheriff’s Office Lt. John Herrell called a “bizarre and unusual scene,” Michael Ray Few, 41, was captured on video in the public lobby of the jail acting as if he was trying to hide from someone shortly after 9 p.m., Herrell said. Few moved a metal detector and climbed through a small opening leading into an x-ray machine to bypass a secured door. He

Jailbreak (In.) Man Captured on Video Breaking into Lake County Jail Thursday Night and being Tackled by Detention Deputies Read More »

Orange County Wanted Suspect Taken Into Custody in Eustis Saturday Night Following Pursuit

EUSTIS, Fla.—A suspect wanted by Orange County Sheriff’s Office was taken into custody Saturday night in Eustis. Law enforcement sources told Inside Lake the suspect was in a stolen vehicle when OCSO pursued him into Lake County, traveling all around Mount Dora and Eustis around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night. After a pursuit that lasted more than 30 minutes, the suspect bailed on foot near Trout Lake and was taken into custody about 15 minutes after he bailed, sources said. Eustis Police Department, Mount Dora Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office all assisted in the apprehension. This is a

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Suspect in Stolen Vehicle Flees, Rams LCSO Cruiser, Strikes Multiple Stop Sticks, Flees on Foot, Apprehended by K9 Murphy in Leesburg Sunday

LEESBURG, Fla.—A Mount Dora man is facing a slew of charges after ramming a stolen vehicle into a Lake County Sheriff’s Office cruiser, fleeing to Sumter County, striking multiple stop sticks and fleeing back into Lake County where he was finally apprehended Sunday afternoon. Henry Lee Gamble-Coleman, 26, was spotted around 5 p.m. in Leesburg by LCSO deputies in a vehicle stolen from Eustis, according to an arrest affidavit. Deputies attempted to pull Gamble-Coleman over near the intersection of South 14th Street and South Street and Gamble-Coleman “rapidly” accelerated and struck the passenger side of a K9 cruiser. He fled

Suspect in Stolen Vehicle Flees, Rams LCSO Cruiser, Strikes Multiple Stop Sticks, Flees on Foot, Apprehended by K9 Murphy in Leesburg Sunday Read More »

Operation Poison Control Results in 21 Arrest Warrants, 50 Charges

TAVARES, Florida—A six-month long undercover drug investigation targeting fentanyl traffickers has wrapped up with the arrests of 15 people and six more are on the run, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. A joint operation between LCSO’s Special Investigations Bureau, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the City County Investigation Bureau— which includes police officers from Clermont, Eustis, Leesburg and Mount Dora—uncovered a variety of illegal narcotics being distributed throughout the county, including trafficking amounts of deadly fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and MDMA.   Law enforcement developed information from the public to aid in the

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Woman, 21, Caught on Tavares High Campus and Lied About Being a Student, Deputies Say

TAVARES, Fla.—A 21-year-old woman was caught on the Tavares High School campus last week and lied to a school resource deputy (SRD) about her age and status, according to an arrest affidavit. Acting on a tip Friday, a Lake County Sheriff’s Office SRD found Dakota Marie Adams, 21, of Tavares, within the fenced portion of THS near the auditorium and confronted her around 11 a.m. Adams allegedly lied to the deputy and said she was 19 and a senior at the school. She also said she did not have her driver license, but the SRD found it in her wallet,

Woman, 21, Caught on Tavares High Campus and Lied About Being a Student, Deputies Say Read More »

Astor Store Manager Arrested for Refund Scam

ASTOR, Fla.—The manager of a Dollar General store is facing a felony theft charge after being arrested by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for a refund scam, according to an arrest affidavit. On Friday, LCSO responded to Dollar General, 24150 State Road 40, Astor on a report of a theft. When the deputy arrived, a loss prevention director told the deputy she began investigating Nancy Marie McDonald, 51, of Astor, for an unusual amount of refunds totaling $925 that were processed in July and August. The loss prevention director said McDonald admitted to taking items of the shelves, processing refunds

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Suspect Photos Released in Eustis Gas Station Robbery

EUSTIS, Florida—Eustis Police Department has released two photos of the suspect who robbed a Eustis gas station Wednesday night. The manager of Bay Street Food Mart, formerly known as Kars Mart, 1212 South Bay Street, was outside closing up at around 11 p.m. when the robber ran up, held the victim at gunpoint and went back into the business. The victim opened the cash register, and the suspect took an undisclosed amount of cash from the register and fled the scene on foot. Video surveillance captured the incident, and the photos accompanying this article were taken from that video. The

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2 Suspects Located Following Incident at Unincorporated Leesburg Gas Station

LEESBURG, Florida—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has released more details about an incident that occurred at a 24-hour gas station early Monday. Three male suspects entered Circle K, 10030 County Road 44, Leesburg and stole multiple items around 4:15 a.m. Monday, according to LCSO Cpl. Chanel Martin. “The employee did not observe a weapon, but it appeared that one of the suspects acted as if they were armed under their clothing,” Martin said in an email. The suspects fled the scene in a white car, and it was found after they abandoned it, Martin said. No one was injured. Two

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Man Admits Shooting Neighbor’s Dogs, Killing 1, Held on $150K Bond

An earlier version of this story misidentified the deceased dog due to an error in the arrest affidavit. The dog’s name is Mary. SORRENTO, Florida—A Sorrento man is in the Lake County Jail after he admitted shooting his neighbor’s dogs Saturday night, killing 13-year-old Mary, according to an arrest affidavit. Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Holopaw Trail in Sorrento shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday after the victim reported her neighbor, Sheldon Keith Hayward, 65, had shot her dogs, killing one of them. The woman told LCSO she let the dogs out in her backyard and did not realize

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Multitude of Crashes Keeps Law Enforcement Busy Saturday

LAKE COUNTY, Florida—It was a busy Saturday for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol. Deputies and troopers responded to a multitude of vehicle crashes in the Eustis, Paisley and Umatilla areas Saturday, according to LCSO Lt. Fred Jones. At County Road 42 and Deerhaven Road, a truck flipped and before deputies arrived, the driver fled the scene. “The bloodhound and helicopter conducted an extensive search. The driver was not located,” Jones told Inside Lake. The second crash was at County 437, south of State Road 44 in Eustis. The driver left the road, struck an oak

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Detention Deputy Accused of Leaving Vape Cartridges in Trash Can at Jail

TAVARES, Florida—A Lake County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy was booked into the very jail he worked at, accused of leaving vape cartridges in a trash can accessible to inmates. Acting on a tip, LCSO began investigating Bailey Levi Lennon, 25, at the end of May and interviewed inmates and employees and found a cartridge that had been left by Lennon, according to a press release. Lennon denied leaving the vape cartridges for inmates but admitted he knew the trash can was accessible to them. A warrant was issued for his arrest for introducing contraband into a correctional facility Tuesday afternoon

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Sorrento Man Facing Multiple Charges After Shooting, Killing Man Friday Night

SORRENTO, Florida—A Sorrento man is facing a manslaughter charge and an aggravated battery charge after shooting a man and killing him Friday night, according to an arrest affidavit. Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Quaker Ridge Avenue on a report of a person being shot, and when they arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares where he succumbed to his injury and was pronounced deceased. The victim’s name is redacted from the affidavit. The investigation revealed Wallace Mannin Kirkland, 59, had shot the man once

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Barricaded Sorrento Man Now Accused of Sex Crimes

TAVARES, Florida—The Sorrento man who barricaded himself in a shed Wednesday night requiring a response from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team is now facing four charges for sex-related crimes, according to LCSO online booking records. Gregory Tippett, 62, was in an altercation with multiple juveniles Wednesday night at his home on Swan Road in Sorrento, according to a report. He later armed himself and fired several shots, shooting himself in the leg, and then barricaded himself in a shed on the property. After first refusing to come out, he surrendered to LCSO’s SWAT Team and was transported to

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Man Who was Barricaded in Sorrento Shed Wednesday Arrested for Child Abuse, Battery, Discharging Gun

SORRENTO, Florida—The man who fired several shots and barricaded himself in a shed Wednesday night is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond. According to a heavily-redacted report, a juvenile at the home on Swan Road was upset and Gregory Tippett, 62, who lives at the home, went outside and grabbed melatonin container and threw it at an undisclosed person. Tippett then said he was going to leave and went to get something out of the refrigerator, a witness told the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The relationship between Tippett, the witness and the juveniles was not available

Man Who was Barricaded in Sorrento Shed Wednesday Arrested for Child Abuse, Battery, Discharging Gun Read More »

Man Taken into Custody After Barricading Himself in Sorrento Home

SORRENTO, Florida—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has taken a man into custody after he was barricaded in a home on Swan Road in Sorrento Wednesday night. The incident started as a domestic situation and the suspect barricaded himself in the home and became suicidal, LCSO Lt. Fred Jones told Inside Lake. The man was taken into custody shortly after 9:30 p.m. No other details were available at press time.

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Shooting Suspect Taken into Custody by LCSO Monday

EUSTIS, Florida—Only Inside Lake was on the scene in a normally quiet neighborhood that saw a lot of excitement as the Lake County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team moved in on a wanted shooting suspect Monday afternoon Deputies were attempting to locate Eduardo Ramirez, a suspect in a case the criminal investigations bureau was working, LCSO Lt. John Herrell told Inside Lake as the SWAT Team and marked units staged at an undisclosed location. LCSO moved in on the home at the corner of Washington Avenue and Ohio Boulevard—just one half of a mile from Eustis High School as school let

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Deputies Shut Down State Road 44 After Tragic Incident Monday Afternoon

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated the incident happened on Tuesday; the incident happened on Monday and the story has been corrected. Publisher’s Note: The following story contains details about an incident involving a suicide on State Road 44 Tuesday afternoon. Inside Lake determines if we will cover a suicide on a case-by-case basis. Generally, we only cover a suicide if it is in a public place, as in this case. We also want to share resources that are available to our readers if they need help. Locally, the M.I.K.E. Endowment is available, visit https://www.themikeendowment.org/ and the National

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Man Accused of Ramming Deputies, Carjacking and Crashing into School Bus Earlier this Month Facing More Charges 

GROVELAND, Florida—The man who deputies say rammed three patrol vehicles in a stolen truck, carjacked a citizen and crashed into a school bus is facing five new charges, including three counts of felony criminal mischief, according to a new arrest affidavit. Joseph Anthony Dale Crawford, 23, of Clermont is in the Lake County Jail on no bond after his two-county crime spree on Feb. 3 ended with him crashing a stolen Ford Bronco into a Lake County Schools bus. Around 6 a.m. Feb. 3, a woman called the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and reported her white 2019 Ford F-250 had

Man Accused of Ramming Deputies, Carjacking and Crashing into School Bus Earlier this Month Facing More Charges  Read More »

Suspect Rams 3 Deputies in Stolen Truck, Flees Across 2 Counties, Carjacks SUV and Crashes into School Bus in Groveland Friday  

GROVELAND, Florida—A man is facing a slew of charges in Lake and Orange counties after stealing a struck, ramming three Lake County Sheriff’s Office patrol cars, carjacking a citizen and crashing into a school bus Friday morning, according to LCSO Lt. Fred Jones. LCSO received a call from the owner of the truck around 6 a.m. and she said her truck had been stolen in the middle of the night. She provided GPS coordinates to LCSO, and deputies tracked to truck to a gas station near Hartle Road in Clermont, Jones said. They found Joseph Crawford, 23, of Groveland, pumping

Suspect Rams 3 Deputies in Stolen Truck, Flees Across 2 Counties, Carjacks SUV and Crashes into School Bus in Groveland Friday   Read More »

Leesburg Teen Arrested for Manslaughter in December Death of Sumter County Boy, 15

TAVARES, Florida—A Leesburg teenager was arrested Friday by Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies for his role in the death of a Sumter County boy who was found dead in Bushnell in December. Jontae Solomon Haywood was reported missing around 1:20 a.m. Dec. 16, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO.) Deputies received information he may have been shot and he was found dead near County Road 557 in Bushnell later the same day. Haywood, an eighth grade student at South Sumter Prep, was just 15 years old. Haywood enjoyed football, basketball, and fishing; and dreamed of becoming a professional

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Barricaded Subject Shot by LCSO, Transported to the Hospital, Officials Say

CLERMONT, Florida—The barricaded man the Lake County Sheriff’s Office was attempting to negotiate with has been shot, according to LCSO Sgt. Jim Vachon. “As events unfolded, an officer-involved shooting occurred,” Vachon said. “The suspect has been transported to the hospital for treatment, no law enforcement officials were injured.” Deputies were on a well-being check at 9201 Pine Island Road when they were confronted by the man, who was armed with a rifle and handgun, Vachon said. Deputies took cover and attempted to communicate with the man, but he retreated into the home and refused to speak with deputies Friday morning.

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Man Pulls Gun on Roommate During Argument Over Living Conditions, Girlfriend

SORRENTO, Florida—A man pulled a gun on his roommate last week after the roommate confronted him about his dirty living conditions and inviting his girlfriend over, according to a Lake County Sheriff’s Office report. LCSO responded to Desoto Avenue, located in the Oak Springs mobile home community in Sorrento around 8 p.m. Wednesday in reference to an argument involving a firearm. When deputies arrived, they found the victim passed out on a sidewalk and his girlfriend sitting in a wheelchair on the back porch, the report states. The victim’s girlfriend said her boyfriend confronted his roommate, “Mark” about his dirty

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Former Umatilla Babe Ruth President Admits to Stealing from Organization to Fund Gambling Habit

UMATILLA, Florida—The former president of Umatilla Babe Ruth Inc. has been arrested for stealing nearly $35,000 from the organization to fund his gambling habit, according to a probable cause affidavit. John Joseph Farley-Gleixner, 36, of Umatilla turned himself in Wednesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest following an investigation by a Lake County Sheriff’s Office detective who began investigating after receiving a theft complaint from a representative of Umatilla Babe Ruth Inc., according to the affidavit. The investigation found that Farley-Gleixner began misappropriating funds in May 2022 and continued for six months until a check bounced, revealing his

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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

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