Florida Democrat Accused of Terrorizing Elderly Victims

A Florida man campaigning to become the state’s next governor is now facing a mountain of serious criminal charges after deputies say he violently turned on two elderly people during a disturbing domestic confrontation that could have ended in bloodshed.

Authorities in Flagler County say Kevin Cichowski, a Palm Coast resident currently running for governor of Florida, was arrested Friday morning after deputies responded to a terrifying call from a home on Cleveland Court. According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the situation involved two elderly victims who told dispatchers they had been attacked inside the home and feared for their lives.

Investigators say Cichowski allegedly struck one of the victims with a cane and threw a cellphone at the other during the chaos. Even more alarming, one of the victims told 911 operators that Cichowski had repeatedly threatened to kill them and warned that he would also kill law enforcement if anyone contacted authorities.

By the time deputies reached the scene, they found the two victims hiding in a bedroom, trapped in a terrifying situation. Officials said one of the victims was bedridden, making it impossible for them to simply flee the home on their own. Deputies were able to get both victims out safely through the lanai before the confrontation escalated any further.

Cichowski eventually surrendered to law enforcement without additional violence, but the accusations against him are severe. He was booked on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of battery on a person over 65, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, tampering with a witness, and two counts of robbery by sudden snatching.

Deputies also said that while he was being transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, Cichowski began making suicidal statements and was later placed into protective custody under the Baker Act.

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly praised the response from deputies, dispatchers, and real-time crime analysts, saying the coordinated effort likely prevented a far worse outcome. In a statement, Staly said it was crucial for law enforcement to move quickly and carefully in a case involving alleged death threats, a weapon, and vulnerable victims.

The arrest is raising even more eyebrows because this is not Cichowski’s first brush with serious domestic violence allegations. Deputies said he had already been arrested in 2024 on charges including domestic battery, domestic battery by strangulation, and false imprisonment.

Despite that history, Cichowski is currently running for governor and had previously mounted a campaign for Palm Coast mayor in 2021.

The bizarre and deeply troubling case is now drawing attention across Florida, as voters are left to reckon with the stunning reality that a man seeking one of the state’s highest offices is accused of terrorizing elderly victims inside their own home.