Woman arrested after painting swastikas on neighbor’s pickup truck, Lake County deputies say

Yamil Lachapelle-Ortiz, 44, arrested Tuesday

Yamil Lachapelle-Ortiz, 44 (Lake County Sheriff's Office)

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A woman was arrested near Clermont on Tuesday, accused of breaking into her neighbor’s garage and spray painting swastikas all over his pickup truck, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responding around 5 a.m. to the criminal mischief complaint met Yamil Lachapelle-Ortiz, 44, as she wore a respirator around her neck and stood near a BMW that had spray paint cans in the driver’s seat, according to an arrest affidavit.

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The call came from a man living along Crescent Pines Boulevard who told deputies that someone was outside of his house spray painting his Dodge Ram. According to the affidavit, the man suspected it was his next-door neighbor Lachapelle-Ortiz due to her alleged history of lobbing racial slurs at the man and his family since they moved there in February 2021.

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In addition to the spray paint and a broken window in the garage — where deputies said Lachapelle-Ortiz’s house keys were found — the man also accused Lachapelle-Ortiz of breaking his flood lights, estimating a combined $7,000 in damage was done.

Lachapelle-Ortiz struggled upon being detained, actively resisting as deputies tried to get her inside of a vehicle and later out of it, the affidavit shows.

She faces charges of resisting arrest without violence and criminal mischief greater than $1,000, records show. Currently held on a $7,000 bond amount, her next court date is set May 22.


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