[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 04/30/20]
LEESBURG, Florida — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a man who died in PEAR Park off U.S. Highway 27 Wednesday night.
A witness told an LCSO deputy she was on the walking trail along the Palatlakaha River with a coworker around 8:30 p.m. when she stepped away to make a phone call. When she returned, she saw her coworker a few steps into the water, and he appeared to be having a seizure, according to a report. She lifted the man’s head above the water, pulled him to shore and called 9-1-1.
Lake EMS, Leesburg Fire Department and Leesburg Police Department responded and the man was pronounced dead on the scene.
The man, whose identity is not being released pending notification of next of kin, is a 69-year-old black male from Leesburg, said LCSO Sgt. Fred Jones. There was no trauma to the man’s body and LCSO believes the man suffered a medical episode that resulted in his death. They are awaiting the findings of the medical examiner, Jones said in an email.
“It doesn’t appear to be foul play,“ Jones told Lake Legal News.
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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]
