Fort Myers, FL – A 51-year-old man is behind bars after authorities say he carjacked an elderly driver at a Fort Myers gas station, knocking the victim to the ground before fleeing in the stolen vehicle.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded just after 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, 2026, to a reported carjacking at the Coast Oil gas station, 4843 Palm Beach Boulevard.
Investigators said the elderly victim had parked his running vehicle near the front entrance when an unknown man allegedly walked to the vehicle, got inside, and locked the doors. When the victim attempted to stop the theft, the suspect allegedly drove away, causing the victim to fall to the ground and suffer non-life-threatening injuries.
According to the sheriff’s office, officers with the Fort Myers Police Department quickly located the stolen vehicle and detained the suspect. The man was identified as Marvin Brown, 51, before being turned over to Lee County deputies.
Detectives with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit assumed the investigation. Following witness interviews, evidence collection, and Brown’s post-Miranda statements, investigators said they established probable cause to charge him with carjacking without a weapon.
Brown was booked into the Lee County Jail, where he remains in custody.
The sheriff’s office also said Brown is a registered felon with an extensive criminal history that includes prior arrests for fleeing and eluding law enforcement, narcotics offenses, battery on a law enforcement officer, fraud, and burglary.
The charge is an allegation, and Brown is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
