Tavares

ORANGE COUNTY, Florida—A Tavares woman received minor injuries in a crash that killed a motorcyclist from Apopka Saturday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A 19-year-old Apopka woman was northbound in a sedan on Orange Blossom Trail at Jones Avenue in the Zellwood area around 8:45 p.m. Saturday. A 51-year-old man, also of Apopka, was riding a motorcycle southbound on Orange Blossom Trail and a Tavares woman, 59, in a sedan was stopped on Jones Avenue at the intersection of Orange Blossom Trail, FHP Lt. Kim Montes said in a press release.

The Apopka woman attempted to make a left turn on to Jones Avenue and turned into the path of the motorcycle. The motorcycle struck the side of the Apopka woman’s sedan and the sedan struck the car the Tavares woman was driving. The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead on the scene.

The Apopka woman and the Tavares woman sustained minor injuries and the crash remains under investigation.

TAVARES. Florida— A 20-year-old man suffered at least one gunshot wound during a drive-by shooting in Tavares late Saturday night.

Joshua Williams II was outside of a home on West Maud Street when the shooting occurred, according to Tavares Police Public Information Officer Courtney Sullivan.

“Mr. Williams was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for his injuries that he sustained from the incident,” Sullivan said.  

Police are investigating the motive behind the shooting and expect to release more information once it is available. If you have information on Saturday’s drive-by shooting, call TPD at 352-343-2101.

TAVARES, Florida—Britney Ochoa has a lot to be grateful for this holiday season.

Last month, just before she was about to go to bed around 11 p.m., her mom’s instinct kicked in and she checked on her son Elias to find he was not breathing. Just 2 months old at the time, Elias had spent the beginning of his life in the hospital and mom had just recently brought him home.

Ochoa, 22, called 9-1-1 and some might say Elias’ guardian angel appeared in the form of Tavares Police Officer Teddy Pearl. Pearl arrived on scene to find Ochoa performing CPR on tiny Elias.

“He literally took over CPR for me,” Ochoa told Inside Lake. “I was in shock.”

Elias was born with holes in his heart and has undergone open heart surgery since the incident on Nov. 13, where his airway was described as “floppy.” He is deaf in one ear and suffers from a condition that makes his heart rate drop and oxygen levels go down causing him difficulty breathing, but that seems to be improving now, Ochoa said. He recently underwent a sleep study and it came back normal.

“He pulls himself out of those (episodes,)” she said.

Elias is still in the hospital, but Ochoa hopes to be bringing him back home soon. Big brother Sterling, 2, who has epilepsy, misses his little brother tremendously, Ochoa said, and cannot wait for him to come home. Sterling is not allowed to visit Elias in the hospital due to COVID-19 protocols, she said, but Elias got a special visit from Officer Pearl this week, Tavares Police Public Information Officer Courtney Sullivan told Inside Lake Friday.  

“Officer Pearl has maintained contact with the family and visited the family on his day off. He has stated that this call in particular has impacted him, and he keeps in touch to check on the family,” Sullivan said.

Pearl’s recent hospital visit included a new toy for Elias, snuggles and a few photos. Pearl told Inside Lake this was his first time rendering aid to an infant and when he arrived Elias’ family all looked to him for help; his mind went back to his days in the academy when instructors warned him this day would come.

“You have that split second where you’re like OK—do something,” he said.  

Pearl took Elias from Ochoa and after taking over CPR, “He started gasping,” and Pearl kept his airway open until he was transported to the hospital. Pearl said he is glad he can be a law enforcement officer and directly help the community. “I love that about my department, you’re not just a badge number,” he said.

Pearl has constantly asked for updates on Elias and feels like he has a bond with the entire family, “I have an attachment to him now.” Pearl is aware of Elias ’current and prior health issues and is amazed by his strength and resilience at his very young age.

“That’s a real fighter,” Pearl said. “That’s a real hero.” 

TAVARES, Florida—Following in line with its motto, “People helping people,” Tavares Police Department has launched a new initiative to get to know its community members with special needs.

TPD announced Friday on its Facebook page, it is creating a database that will include details about individuals who may require a different response from officers and is asking for the public’s assistance to gather information and give the agency any ideas they feel will make the program better.

If you have a family member or friend with special needs, such as autism, Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy or any other condition you feel the police should know about, TPD is asking you contact the agency to create a file on your loved one. Officers and dispatchers will have access to the information and individual addresses will be flagged so the officer is aware of any special circumstances before they arrive to the call.

“We are big on community policing,” TPD Public Information Officer Courtney Sullivan told Inside Lake. “There are always ways we can be better,” she said, “and there are always opportunities for the community to teach us how to better serve them.”  

The department is aware those with special needs may be sensitive to lights and sirens, may be nonverbal or may have a history with law enforcement, and TPD having that information before they respond to a call will help ensure everyone stays safe.  A TPD officer who has an autistic child suggested creating a database recently, Sullivan said, and through collaboration with other officers and encouragement by Chief Stoney Lubins, the idea blossomed into this new program very quickly.  

The database will include names, addresses, photos, known locations the individual frequents, emergency contact information and any additional information that may be relevant. Just last month an elderly woman was found walking alone in the city and it took officers more than an hour to identify her and find where she belonged. With the creation of this database, Sullivan hopes that hour will be cut to just a few minutes in a case of a missing or found person.

“We’ll have all the information to put out to social media and all the news outlets quickly,” she said.

Arguably the most popular law enforcement Facebook page in Lake County, the public interacts with TPD and often shows its appreciation for the humor that can be found on almost every post. Sullivan enjoys the interaction with the community through social media and appreciates how helpful they are. In the case of the elderly woman in October, so many people shared the post, the woman was identified within about 30 minutes of TPD’s original post.

“People know we’re funny, but when it comes time to be serious, people want to help us. And we love that,” Sullivan said.

Community members may call TPD’s non-emergency line at 352-343-2101, extension 4 and request an officer to come by your home or business, or you may stop by TPD, 911 Gateway Drive, Tavares during regular business hours. You can also message their Facebook page, or send Sullivan an email at [email protected].