[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 05/03/21]
GRAND ISLAND, Florida — A man already wanted on a warrant for burglary and petit theft fled from Lake County Sheriff’s deputies and crashed the BMW he was driving after being accused of battering his girlfriend Wednesday, according to an arrest affidavit.
LCSO received a call stating Robert Allen Whittington Jr., 44, had battered his girlfriend and left the home when he found out law enforcement had been called. Deputies saw Whittington driving the BMW near Harbor Shores Road and attempted to pull him over, using their lights and sirens, the affidavit states. Whittington fled and deputies spotted the blue 2003 BMW crashed and abandoned a short time later in the area of County Road 42 and South Fish Camp Road. Whittington was northbound on South Fish Camp Road when he ran the stop sign at County Road 452 and struck a 2015 Mini Cooper traveling westbound on County Road 452. The woman driving the Mini Cooper was not injured, FHP Lt. Kim Montes said.
Deputies searched the area and found Whittington in a wooded area northeast of the crash scene. Lake County Fire Rescue and Lake County EMS responded and determined Whittington needed to be airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center for the injuries he sustained in the crash, according to the affidavit.
Whittington was arrested for domestic battery by strangulation and fleeing and eluding by LCSO. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash and, “Charges are pending,” Montes told Lake Legal News Monday.
He was booked into the Lake County Jail after receiving medical treatment and released on $25,500 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
