Florida man who ditched manslaughter trial during lunch break now in custody: Deputies

A Florida man who left his manslaughter DUI trial during a lunch break was apprehended by a U.S. Marshal in Mount Dora on Wednesday. 

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force developed information on Waldo’s whereabouts, and agents spotted him in the Mount Dora area this morning. Waldo was taken into custody in the parking lot of a Mount Dora hotel.

Waldo is accused of leaving his March 2023 trial where he was facing three counts of DUI manslaughter. 

In 2019, Waldo's pickup collided with another vehicle at an intersection in Leesburg on Christmas Eve 2019, killing Christopher Smith, his wife, Jessica Smith, and their 13-year-old daughter.

Waldo and a male passenger were also hurt during the crash and taken to the hospital. He was initially booked on several charges and ultimately on trial for three counts of DUI manslaughter. 

The trial continued without Waldo being present and a jury found him guilty on all counts on Wednesday, March 15, according to online records. Waldo's sentencing was deferred, though a date was not listed in online court records.