Man tries to rob man lying on a bus bench, police say. He’s arrested for elderly abuse. | Miami Herald

An elderly man was lying on a Fort Lauderdale bus bench early Wednesday morning when another man approached him and tried to go through his pockets, police said.

Allan Dwoskin, 74, got up and tried to walk away, but the man, identified by police as 31-year-old Brian Dewarf, followed him from the bench at 101 NW First Ave. The incident happened at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The men then “became involved in a verbal dispute,” police said. Dwoskin started to walk away again, police said, but Dewarf followed, grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground, according to police.

Dwoskin, who suffered traumatic head injuries, was taken to Broward Health Medical Center.

Dewarf was arrested and charged with aggravated abuse on an elderly person and a felony charge of doing something that could cause someone’s death.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Leann Swisher at 954-828-4007 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).