A Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue lieutenant was arrested after authorities said he attacked a 65-year-old patient inside a rescue vehicle while on duty, turning what began as a medical call for help into a criminal case involving two battery charges.
NBC6 South Florida reporter Marissa Bagg reported that Carlos Antonio Lewin, a Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue lieutenant, was booked into the Broward County Jail after investigators accused him of attacking a patient who had called 911 because he was struggling to breathe, felt cold, and needed medical assistance.
According to Bagg’s report, the patient had suffered a stroke months earlier and had a speech impediment, a detail that now sits at the center of a case that is deeply troubling because the person accused was not a stranger on the street, but one of the first responders sent to help.
A Medical Call Turns Into An Alleged Attack
Bagg reported that the incident happened on January 31 in the area of Northwest 1st Street and Northwest 31st Avenue in unincorporated central Broward, where fire rescue workers responded to a medical call involving 65-year-old Alan MacPhee.
MacPhee was sitting in a wheelchair when fire rescue personnel arrived, according to the report. Authorities said he was placed on a stretcher and was being evaluated when Lewin got into a verbal argument with him.
What allegedly happened next is what led to the criminal charges. NBC6 reported that Lewin instructed the two firefighters who were with him to move MacPhee into the rescue vehicle, where there were no cameras.
Inside that vehicle, while the patient’s vital signs were being checked, authorities said Lewin grabbed MacPhee’s head and forcefully struck it against the stretcher for about 30 seconds.
That allegation alone would be alarming in any setting, but it is especially serious in the back of a rescue vehicle, where patients are often vulnerable, disoriented, ill, or physically unable to protect themselves. A patient calling for emergency help should not have to worry that the person responding could become a threat.
Firefighters Reported What They Saw
According to Bagg, the alleged attack happened in front of two other firefighters, who later stepped forward and reported it.
The arrest report said Lewin used his fingers to press into the patient’s eyes, then again forcefully struck the patient’s head against the stretcher. The report also states that Lewin choked the patient, causing him to flail around and gasp for air.
Bagg noted that investigators said the patient was left gasping and in a daze. MacPhee later complained of head, neck, and eye pain and was taken to Broward General Medical Center for medical evaluation.
In court, Judge Corey Friedman addressed the allegations and described why the case raised obvious concerns. According to NBC6, the judge said the allegations were that Lewin slammed the patient’s head, choked him, and tried to gouge his eyes.
Friedman said he had community safety concerns, while also making clear that guilt or innocence would be decided later in a different court proceeding. Still, he said he had to accept the warrant allegations as true for the purposes of the bond hearing.
“In this case, it is two coworkers of his who tried to intervene and to protect the victim, and they were unsuccessful at doing that,” Bagg reported from the courthouse. “They’re the ones who had to step forward.”
That part matters. In cases involving public employees, internal silence can become its own kind of harm, but here, the report says the other firefighters did not stay quiet. Their decision to come forward appears to be a major reason the case moved from an alleged incident inside a vehicle to an arrest warrant.
Patient Says He Believes He Was Misjudged
MacPhee told NBC6 that he had suffered a stroke a few months earlier, which affected his speech. He said he believes that may have played a role in how Lewin perceived him.
“He thought I was a homeless drunk,” MacPhee said, according to NBC6.
MacPhee also spoke about the allegation involving his eyes, saying, “He could have pushed my eyeballs into my damn head. It’s crazy.”
Those comments add another layer to the case, because emergency responders frequently encounter people who may have difficulty speaking, moving, understanding questions, or explaining what is wrong. A stroke survivor with a speech impediment should not be mistaken for someone who deserves rough treatment, and even if a patient is intoxicated, difficult, or confused, the standard of care does not disappear.
The public gives first responders a lot of trust because their jobs are hard, unpredictable, and often dangerous. But that trust also comes with the expectation that power will be used carefully, especially when the person on the stretcher is elderly, sick, or unable to leave.
Judge Sets Bond And Restrictions
Bagg reported that Lewin appeared in bond court, where he was charged with two counts of battery on a person 65 years of age or older.
Lewin’s attorney said he had been a firefighter for more than 11 years and had no prior criminal history. The defense also described him as an Air Force veteran and a dedicated family man, while asking the public to withhold judgment until the legal process is complete.
Judge Friedman said the allegations warranted a higher bond, and NBC6 reported that he set Lewin’s bond at $50,000. The judge also ordered Lewin to have no contact with the alleged victim and barred him from possessing firearms or weapons.
The judge also pointed to the unique responsibility that comes with the firefighting profession. “If you are a firefighter, or certainly somebody with a higher rank in the firefighting profession, I mean, you have an additional layer of community service where you’re supposed to protect and help people,” Friedman said.
That statement gets to the heart of why the case has drawn attention. An assault accusation is serious on its own, but the alleged victim here was a patient in need of emergency care, and the accused was a lieutenant in a rescue agency.
Sheriff Says Department Will Hold Its Own Accountable
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony sent NBC6 a statement saying Lewin’s arrest demonstrates the agency’s commitment to accountability.
“The arrest of our fire lieutenant demonstrates our commitment to holding our own accountable for their unlawful actions,” Tony said in the statement provided to NBC6. “The public can rest assured that internal due process will be fair, and any resulting discipline will be appropriate and consistent with policy.”
Tony also applauded the two firefighters who reported the alleged incident, saying the agency would continue to hold itself to high standards and serve the public with professionalism.
Bagg reported that Lewin has been suspended without pay. His attorney was at the jail working to facilitate the process of bonding him out, according to the NBC6 report.
The language from BSO is careful, as it should be, because Lewin is accused but has not been convicted. At the same time, the department’s response shows that the allegations were serious enough to result not only in criminal charges, but also in an immediate employment consequence.
A Case About Trust In Emergency Care
The legal process will determine what can be proven in court, and Lewin’s defense is asking the public not to judge the case before that happens.
Still, the allegations described by Bagg are deeply unsettling because emergency medical calls often happen at moments when people have the least control over their own safety. A patient who calls 911 is asking for help, not entering a situation where he should fear being struck, choked, or injured by the person in charge.
The two firefighters who reported the incident may become key witnesses, but they also represent something important beyond the case itself. In any public safety agency, accountability depends not only on policies and statements from leadership, but on employees being willing to say when something has gone wrong.
For MacPhee, the incident began with shortness of breath and a need for medical care. According to authorities, it ended with a fire rescue lieutenant facing battery charges, a patient alleging he was attacked in a place meant for treatment, and a department now trying to reassure the public that the people sent to help them will be held to the standard their uniforms demand.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.
