PORT CHARLOTTE — Charlotte County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a 14-year-old boy and a 43-year-old adult, both homeless, for inflicting severe injuries to another homeless man under the northbound U.S. 41 Bridge in Port Charlotte. Charged with felony aggravated battery was Lee Edward Allen Hill, and the juvenile, whose name is being withheld because of his age. CCSO received a call from employees of the nearby RaceTrac, 4968 Tamiami Trail, who said a 48-year-old man stumbled into the gas station at 2 a.m. today and appeared to have been severely beaten and was bleeding. The victim said he was beaten by Hill and the boy, who is Hill’s stepson. The victim was transported by Charlotte County EMS to Fawcett Memorial Hospital. Doctors said he had broken facial bones and he was bleeding into his brain. Due to the severity of the injuries, BayFlight flew the victim to Lee Memorial Hospital Trauma Center in Fort Myers for specialized treatment and surgeries.

Deputies responded to the underside of the bridge and met with Hill, the boy, and the boy’s mother. All three were transported to the District Office to be interviewed. The mother said there was an argument between the two men and the boy, so she left to get some beer and get some of her belongings from a nearby homeless area. She said when she returned, Hill and her son walked out from under the bridge and both had blood on them. The two told her they fought with the victim and he left. The victim was punched, hit and kicked in the rib area and face causing the severe injuries.