LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Fla. — A South Florida firefighter is facing several felony charges after police accused him of a “violent attack” on a group of teenagers who rang the doorbell of his Lighthouse Point home in a late-November prank.
Alex Michael Lutz, who works for Highland Beach Fire Rescue in Palm Beach County, turned himself in at the Lighthouse Point Police Department on Monday.
Investigators said the incident happened at around 9 p.m. on Nov. 23 at the 31-year-old first responder’s home on Northeast 24th Terrace.
Lighthouse Point police said the teenagers, on a golf cart, were ringing the doorbell and running away in a game of “ding-dong-ditch” that night when an irate Lutz came running out of the house with a baseball bat and chased after the teens.
Police said Lutz caught up to them on Northeast 45th Street and began hitting the golf cart and the teenagers. Investigators said surveillance video showed the attack, along with audio of the teens “screaming in fear” as Lutz tells them, “I will kill you.”
Authorities said “several” of the teens “suffered injuries to include a dislocation, bruising and swelling.”
According to an LPPD incident report, Lutz’s mother was the first person to call police about the pranksters, telling a dispatcher, “My husband and son (Alex) just ran after the kids.”
Later, Lutz’s father, speaking to officers, “mentioned that Alex had a ‘good job’ at the Highland Beach Fire Department and did not want to jeopardize it” as he told police that Lutz “was refusing to exit the home,” the report states.
Lutz now faces two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of criminal mischief.
He appeared in Broward County court on Tuesday morning, where a judge ordered him held on a $35,000 bond. If released, he will not be allowed to possess weapons or ammunition or contact the alleged victims.
Local 10 News was there as Lutz bonded out of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Main Jail on Tuesday afternoon. He had very little to say when asked for comment, referring us to his attorney.
In a statement, HBFR Chief Glenn Joseph said the agency was aware of Lutz’s arrest and had placed him on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
“We were surprised to learn of this situation, and the behaviors described in the police reports do not reflect the values, professionalism, or expectations of the Highland Beach Fire Rescue Department or the Town,” Joseph said in part. “This matter is being reviewed with the utmost seriousness and purpose. The safety, trust, and well-being of our residents remain our top priorities.
“Highland Beach Fire Rescue upholds strict professional standards and is committed to transparency and accountability. Appropriate action will be taken once all facts are established.”
Joseph, citing an “active investigation,” said town officials would not be commenting further pending its outcome.
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