With three children inside, two armed carjacking attempts at Coquina Beach go awry, police say

A 43-year-old Bradenton man has been charged with multiple felonies after two failed carjacking attempts at Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island, according to the Bradenton Beach Police Department.

Police say Steven Lewter approached a woman at the Coquina Beach parking lot around 4 p.m. on Aug. 12, pulling a knife and demanding her car keys.

The woman handed Lewter a set of keys, but not with the vehicle key on the ring, according to the arrest affidavit. Lewter grabbed his belongings and entered the vehicle, which had the woman’s three young children in the backseat, police say.

According to the report, Lewter was attempting to leave before realizing he didn’t have the car keys. Police say the victim began screaming for help and Lewter ran away on foot.

Police say Lewter came across a man sitting in his vehicle at the beach’s northern parking area and pulled his knife again, shouting at the man that, “This is a carjacking.”

The man exited his vehicle and began to fight with Lewter, sustaining a small cut, according to the report. The man got the better of Lewter, however, and was able to restrain him until police arrived.

Lewter was booked into the Manatee County jail on two counts of attempted armed carjacking, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. Lewter was out on bond at the time of the attempted carjackings awaiting trial for armed burglary, aggravated assault, grand theft and resisting arrest, among other charges.

Those bonds were revoked and Lewter remains in custody without bond.

This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 9:20 AM.