SWFL.io - Local NewsCarson Zorn
•9/6/2026
A Fort Myers Beach man is accused of violating the terms of his pretrial release following an arrest for a DUI hit-and-run and attacking a Lee County deputy. According to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, deputies are hunting for Stephen Prenoveau after he was accused of recently violating the terms of his release. Prenoveau, 66, was arrested after witnesses said they saw him driving in a residential neighborhood when he crashed into a truck but kept driving, Crime Stoppers said. Witnesses said Prenoveau then stopped a few houses down and stood next to his damaged car. Lee County deputies arrived on the scene and noticed that Prenoveau kept losing his balance, had slurred speech, and smelled like alcohol, Crime Stoppers said. Prenoveau told the deputies that he thought he may have crashed his car, but he couldn't recall anything specific. Prenoveau then became violent and punched one deputy several times in the chest, Crime Stoppers said. He was arrested and spent four days in jail before being released on certain conditions, which he violated last week. Prenoveau is 5'3", weighs 150 pounds, and was last known to be living in Fort Myers Beach. If you have information in this case, you are asked to contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477), on the P3 app, or on its website. You can remain anonymous, and if your tip leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.