A Broward Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue lieutenant is off the job and facing serious charges after his arrest this week on two counts of battery on a person 65 or older. Lt. Carlos Lewin, 43, appeared in bond court Friday in Fort Lauderdale, where a judge ordered him held on a $50,000 bond. BSFR has suspended him without pay while the criminal case moves forward.
During the bond hearing, Broward Circuit Court Judge Corey B. Friedman did not mince words, saying Lewin "slammed the victim's head, choked them and tried to gouge their eyes out." Lewin's attorney urged the court to reserve judgment and highlighted his client's military and first-responder service. Prosecutors told the court the incident happened several months ago during a work call and that nearby BSFR employees intervened, as reported by WSVN.
What the charges mean
Because the alleged victim is 65 or older, the charges carry extra legal weight. Under state law, described by the Florida Legislature, battery on a person 65 or older is reclassified and can be charged as a felony with enhanced penalties. That reclassification is intended to give prosecutors broader tools and tougher potential sentences when older victims are involved.
BSFR response and local context
BSFR confirmed that Lewin has been suspended without pay while the agency reviews the case. The arrest lands amid a string of high-profile incidents involving local public-safety personnel; a separate BSO lieutenant arrest drew similar attention last May and helped put first-responder conduct and accountability under a brighter local spotlight.
For now, the exact circumstances that led up to the alleged assault remain unclear. Prosecutors have not released more information about the victim or whether additional charges might follow. Lewin remains out on bond and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court, a point his lawyer stressed at the hearing. Court filings and any future statements from prosecutors or BSFR are expected to provide the next authoritative updates on the case, according to WSVN.
