Man arrested after suspicious packages found, police say

A man was arrested Tuesday after telling authorities about suspicious packages he left on Lakeview Middle School’s campus, according to Winter Garden Lt. Scott Allen.

Lakeview was put on lock down protocol Tuesday morning as authorities investigated the packages. Students were bussed back to the middle school in the early afternoon when authorities declared the campus safe.

Taylor Patterson, 25, was arrested and faces charges of trespassing on school property and causing interference with a school function, according to Allen.

Patterson was first seen loitering Sunday morning in the school parking lot wearing a weight lifting vest. Winter Garden officers told him to leave, and Patterson complied, Allen said.

Authorities confronted Patterson again Tuesday morning after they received a call of a suspicious person seen on campus, according to a Winter Garden Police Department press release.

Authorities became aware of the packages when Patterson said police would be “interested” in what is inside them, Allen said. However, the packages contained water bottles and other innocuous objects.

Children on their way to school Tuesday morning were asked to return home, and children already at the middle school were taken to West Orange High School.

Winter Garden is recommending a risk protection order for Patterson, according to the press release.