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Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Arrested in Alleged Assault on Two Elderly People

Newly released recordings highlight his conflicting statements during an arrest that led to a mental-health hold.

Overview

  • Deputies in Palm Coast say Kevin Cichowski attacked two elderly parents Friday morning, hitting one with a cane and throwing a phone at the other.
  • The victims hid in a bedroom because one was bedridden, and deputies evacuated them before taking Cichowski into custody without further incident.
  • Bodycam video and 911 audio released Monday capture a parent identifying him as their son and reporting death threats to them and to officers.
  • During transport to jail, he voiced suicidal thoughts, which deputies said prompted an involuntary mental-health hold under Florida’s Baker Act.
  • He faces multiple felonies including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery on people over 65, aggravated battery, witness tampering, and robbery by sudden snatching, and he is listed as a Democratic candidate with a prior 2024 domestic arrest noted in records.