Man Rushed to Help 9-Year-Old Shark Attack Victim. Days Later, ICE Arrests Him and Says He's in the Country Illegally
He is now facing potential deportation, according to news reports, and ICE says he's been in the country illegally since 2022
"He's a real decent guy," a colleague who also assisted in the rescue said of AlvarezA man who helped rescue a 9-year-old girl from a shark attack is now in the custody of immigration officials — and potentially facing punishment including deportation — according to authorities and local news reports.
Earlier this month, 31-year-old Luis Alvarez was one of three men who came to help the young girl, Leah Lendel, after she was bitten by a shark while vacationing with her family.
He is currently being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after he was arrested earlier this month for allegedly driving without a license, Fox affiliate WFTX and the Fort Myers News-Press initially reported.
On Saturday, June 14, at 1:37 a.m. local time, Alvarez was pulled over after an officer said he was driving without headlights in Immokalee, Fla., according to an arrest report reviewed by PEOPLE.
Alvarez, who was born in Nicaragua, per the arrest report, presented the officer with a picture of his U.S. Employment Authorization Document on his phone when asked to present his driver's license. But a records check conducted by the officer showed that Alvarez had never been issued a U.S. driver's license.
Alvarez told the officer he'd been in the country for two and a half years, according to the report.
He was then arrested by the Collier County Sheriff's Office for allegedly driving without a valid driver's license, according to the report and court records.
A spokesperson for the Collier County Jail confirms to PEOPLE that Alvarez is being held by ICE.
An ICE spokesperson says Alvarez entered the country illegally in December 2022 — despite showing police a work authorization document, according to his arrest report — and was subsequently taken into custody this month as part of a partnership between local police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Bail is set at $150. Alvarez will appear in court on July 9.
He was previously arrested four times in Lee County for not having a driver's license, the News-Press reported. He either paid fines or had adjudication withheld by judges, the most recent of which issued a D6 license suspension on June 23, according to the outlet.
The News-Press also reported that Alvarez was represented by attorney Jose Calvo last year. Calvo did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Just days before his arrest, Alvarez was celebrated for his response to the shark attack.
The Boca Grande County Fire Department, Lee County Sheriff's Department and emergency services responded to a call about a "potential shark bite" around 12 p.m. local time on June 11 in Boca Grande, Fla., Boca Grande Fire Chief C.W. Blosser previously said in a video statement.
Jay Lendel, the father of the victim, Leah, said that emergency responses arrived in about three minutes.
Nearby construction workers including Alvarez also came over to assist the family. Alfonso Tello, who was at the scene, told Gulf Coast News that when he got in the water to help, he saw what appeared to be an 8-foot-long shark.
"We saw the little girl coming out of the water with no hand," Tello said, adding, "Everybody was in shock."
Leah's family and the construction workers were able to get her to Shore Lane. She was then airlifted to a nearby hospital and underwent an emergency, six-hour surgery to repair her hand.
The young girl's mom later confirmed to Gulf Coast News on June 12 that "doctors were able to put her hand back together."
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
One of the workers who responded told WFTX about the big role his colleague, Alvarez, played in the rescue.
"He jumped in that area to bring her out when I was assisting Leah," Raynel Lugo told the outlet. "He went deep underwater, not even caring about the shark. He went really deep. He probably faced the shark."
Added Lugo, according to WFTX. "He's a real decent guy."
Read the original article on People
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
37 minutes ago
- Fox News
Illegal alien accused of causing fatal semi truck crash that killed 3 people: 'Shocking and criminal'
An illegal immigrant truck driver has been arrested and faces deportation after allegedly attempting to make an unauthorized U-turn in Florida — resulting in a crash that killed three people. Harjinder Singh, who entered the country illegally and obtained a commercial driver's license in California, has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide in connection with Tuesday's fatal crash, according to a news release from the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). "This is a devastating tragedy made even worse by the fact that it was totally preventable," White House Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital in an email. "Illegal aliens that have no legal right to be in our country certainly should not be granted commercial drivers' licenses." While operating a commercial semi-truck with a trailer on the Florida Turnpike in Fort Pierce, Singh allegedly attempted a U-turn in an unauthorized area. This resulted in the trailer jackknifing and colliding with a minivan — leaving all three of the minivan's passengers dead, according to officials. "Gavin Newscum's pro-illegal alien policies have deadly consequences," Jackson added. "Yet he continues to double down and put illegals over American citizens." Singh, who officials believe crossed the US-Mexico border in 2018, remains in custody on both state vehicular homicide charges as well as immigration violations. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer has been issued, according to an X post from the Official White House Rapid Response account. "The actions taken by the defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are both shocking and criminal," FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner said in a statement. "Three people lost their lives as a result of his recklessness, and countless friends and family members will experience the pain of their loss forever." A law passed in 2013 allows California residents to obtain a driver's license, regardless of their immigration status. ICE did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Axios
3 hours ago
- Axios
D.C. resists Trump's takeover — in court and on the streets
D.C. was filled with resistance to President Trump's federal takeover this weekend, with rallies, locals documenting arrests, and a sharper edge from Mayor Muriel Bowser. Why it matters: Washingtonians are navigating daily life under federal control as both sides — the feds and resistance — ramp up their manpower and rhetoric. Catch up quick: Friday fired off with a lawsuit. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued to block Trump's takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department. A federal judge pushed the city and Justice Department to reach an agreement, and the Trump administration relented. MPD Chief Pamela Smith will keep command of 3,100 officers, while U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's appointee for the city's "emergency police commissioner," DEA head Terry Cole, can't issue directives for now. And Bowser is shifting her tone from cool diplomacy to heated pushback, calling Trump's action "an authoritarian push" and posting on her personal X account that "policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican." Friction point: " Trump must go" protests flared over the weekend, drawing action from Dupont Circle to the White House. Social media feeds were filled with video footage of arrests, and empty morning sidewalks — typically crammed with vendors — in Columbia Heights. On Saturday morning, masked federal agents — including one wearing an ICE badge — tackled a moped driver on 14th Street, reports the Washington Post. D.C. police were not involved in the arrest, a spokesperson tells Axios. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post that the arrest involved an undocumented immigrant "with suspected gang affiliation" facing a final order of removal. Leavitt said the individual resisted arrest and that a law enforcement officer suffered a concussion. Zoom in: Statehood advocates say police pepper-sprayed activist Afeni Evans during her arrest over Metro fare evasion Saturday, per a statement Free DC shared with Axios, which sparked protests outside the DC Courthouse. She was later released to cheering crowds. MPD told Axios it wasn't involved in the arrest. Metro Transit Police didn't immediately return Axios' request for comment. By the numbers: More than 300 people have now been arrested in the crackdown as of Saturday night, per a White House official. 135 undocumented immigrants have been arrested, and 44 homeless encampments have been cleared. All such camps have now been cleared from federal property, reports U.S. Park Police. Between the lines: Everyday life continued across the city — the Nats played ball, thousands boogied down for Chuck Brown Day — but resistance seeped in. Chants of "Free DC!" erupted during the Spirit's match Friday at Audi Field. Sidewalk chalk messages filled Mount Pleasant — an immigrant hub targeted by ICE. The intrigue: " Sandwich guy" — the now-former DOJ staffer who was arrested for launching a sub at federal agents — is being embraced as a symbol of the resistance. Banksy-style murals popped up in Adams Morgan, while some protestors carried sandwich signs or marched with actual baguettes. What we're watching: Red states from West Virginia to South Carolina pledged to send up to 700 more National Guard troops to D.C., on top of the 800 already deployed. And while the National Guard still isn't making arrests, they may be armed now, per the White House official. "[This is] consistent with their mission and training, to protect federal assets, provide a safe environment for law enforcement officers to make arrests, and deter violent crime with a visible law enforcement presence," says the official. The bottom line: In a late Friday email to constituents, Bowser acknowledged a city in "crisis" and commended citizens for rallying together.
CBS News
6 hours ago
- CBS News
U.S. tourist attacked by a shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas
A 63-year-old American tourist was severely injured after he was attacked by a shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas on Sunday, local authorities said. The Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement shared on Facebook that the attack happened shortly after 1 p.m. near Big Grand Cay on the island of Abaco. Officials said the man sustained severe injuries and was taken to a local clinic for medical assistance. He was then airlifted to the U.S. for additional treatment. Additional information was not immediately available. The Bahamas has one of the world's highest rates of shark attacks, although data shows they are still extremely rare. There have been just 34 confirmed attacks in the Bahamas over the last 400 years, according to the International Shark Attack File, a database that tracks shark encounters with humans worldwide. That tally is the ninth highest of all countries tracked. Two American tourists were injured after an apparent shark attack while swimming in the popular Bahamian resort area Bimini Bay in February. Bimini Bay is part of the westernmost island in the Bahamas, some 50 miles from Miami. In December 2023, a woman from Boston died in a shark attack while paddleboarding with a family member, police said at the time. Shortly after, in January 2024, a 10-year-old boy from Maryland sustained a bite while participating in a shark tank expedition at another Bahamian resort. He was hospitalized for a bite on the leg, according to police. Elsewhere, on Friday, two Carnival Cruise passengers from the U.S. drowned in separate incidents at Carnival Cruise Line's new Bahamas resort, authorities said.
