A Davie landlord is accused of turning a threat made in front of police into a brutal attack hours later, leaving his tenant with facial fractures and two rounds of lost consciousness. Lennie Joseph Dufrene Jr., 58, was arrested Monday at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and faces a felony battery charge, police say.
The sequence began last Wednesday when officers responded after Dufrene said the tenant was destroying the property. The tenant was later taken to a facility under Florida's Baker Act, and Dufrene allegedly told police he would kill him once he got out, according to a Local 10 report based on the arrest warrant.
Officers warned Dufrene he could go to prison if he harmed the man. The warrant says he answered, "Okay, then I'll just beat the s--- out of him." Police say he later followed through on the threat.
After the tenant was released from the hospital around 2:30 p.m., police say he returned home and found the lock code changed. Dufrene allegedly came out, punched him repeatedly in the face until he lost consciousness, then punched the back of his head and choked him, according to the warrant.
The tenant told investigators he lost consciousness a second time and later wandered the area because he believed Dufrene was trying to kill him. The next day, officers found him at a Wawa at 2500 Davie Road, severely beaten, according to the warrant.
Airport Arrest And $15,000 Bond
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Dufrene Monday at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after an arrest warrant was issued. The tenant suffered a left orbital floor fracture and multiple nasal fractures, and a Broward judge found probable cause while setting bond at $15,000, Local 10 reported. Dufrene no longer appeared in Broward jail records as of Wednesday morning.
What The Charge Means
Florida law defines battery as intentionally touching or striking someone against their will or intentionally causing bodily harm, according to the Florida Senate. The allegations in the warrant are not a conviction, and Dufrene will have an opportunity to contest the charge in court.
