[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 02/24/21]
TAVARES, Florida — A man is facing a trio of charges after pulling a knife on a man following a traffic crash, said Tavares Police Lt. Sarah Coursey.
TPD responded to the area of Banning Beach Road and U.S. Highway 441 and found Jesse Jimenez, 35, on top of a Hispanic male who was facedown. Jimenez, 35, told TPD he was home when he saw a beige Honda Civic strike a pole and continue driving. Jimenez got into his wife’s car and chased the Nissan Rogue towards Banning Beach Road and U.S. Highway 441. Jimenez tried to cut the vehicle off, and it rear-ended him on U.S Highway 441 near St. Clair Abrams Avenue around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday.
“Multiple people called 9-1-1,” Coursey said.
Jimenez told TPD he got out of his vehicle and approached the other driver in attempt to hold him until law enforcement arrived because he believed the man was impaired, according to the arrest affidavit. The other driver, however, told TPD Jimenez got out of his car and started to punch him in the face and pulled out a knife; he tried to get away but Jimenez “chased him down and put him on the ground,” the affidavit states.
A witness told TPD the Rogue stopped at the light at U.S. Highway 441 and Banning Beach Road when the Civic rear-ended the Rogue and they both continued through the intersection to the light at Winn-Dixie. Jimenez, the Rogue’s driver, climbed into the window of the Civic and began beating the driver with his fists and then pulled out a knife while the other driver was still in the Civic. The witness yelled they were on the phone with the cops and Jimenez let the man out of the Civic and then held him on the ground until law enforcement arrived.
Jimenez was arrested for aggravated assault, battery and driving with a suspended license; was transported to the Lake County Jail where he is being held on $11,000 bond. The other driver was transported to AdventHealth Waterman for treatment of his injuries.
The investigation is ongoing, Coursey 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]
