A Hollywood police lieutenant already facing felony charges for allegedly fracturing an elderly woman's shoulder has now lost his standing as a licensed attorney. Osvaldo Perez, a 25-year veteran of the Hollywood Police Department, was placed on interim suspension from the Florida Bar after the state Supreme Court granted the Bar's petition, with the suspension taking effect on October 23.
Allegations Behind the Arrest
Perez, 51 according to the Miami Herald, which first reported the suspension, faces two felony charges: aggravated battery on a person 65 years of age or older and battery on a person 65 years of age or older. An arrest warrant alleged he grabbed and pushed a woman into a parked car, causing her to fall and fracture her shoulder, according to the Sun Sentinel. That outlet reported the domestic battery happened in the 4300 block of Southwest 148th Terrace.
Notably, NBC 6 South Florida listed Perez's age as 50, while the Miami Herald put it at 51 — a discrepancy the available reporting doesn't resolve. Miramar Police led the investigation into the incident, and Hollywood police said the department was fully cooperating, per CBS News Miami.
Jail, Bond and Administrative Leave
Perez turned himself in at the Broward County Main Jail and was later released after posting a $75,000 bond, according to CBS News Miami. The Hollywood Police Department placed him on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, the station reported, a status that predates the law license suspension announced this month. Perez reportedly lives in Southwest Ranches.
Why the Florida Bar Stepped In
Perez has been a member of the Florida Bar since 2007 and, per the Miami Herald, had no previous discipline issues as an attorney before now. The interim suspension stems from a relatively new rule: the Florida Supreme Court adopted a Bar rule this past June allowing interim suspension of attorneys charged with felonies that reflect adversely on their fitness to practice law, according to The Florida Bar.
That same rule includes built-in protections. It provides a procedure for notice and an opportunity to respond before an interim suspension is imposed based on felony charges, the Bar says. An attorney suspended under the rule may also move to dissolve the suspension if the criminal charges change or are ultimately resolved, according to the Bar's account of the policy.
What Florida Law Says About Battery of Older Victims
Under Florida Statute 784.08, a battery charge involving a victim 65 or older is reclassified from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, according to the Florida Legislature. The same statute mandates a minimum three-year prison sentence and allows fines of up to $10,000 for a conviction on the aggravated version of the charge involving a victim in that age group.
The criminal case against Perez remains pending, and the outcome has not been reported. For now, the Hollywood lieutenant is sidelined on two fronts: barred from practicing law under the interim suspension, and on administrative leave from the police department as Miramar investigators continue their work.
