Bret Dahl. PROVIDED BY THE LEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

On Feb. 7, 2024, at around 6 p.m., officers with the Cape Coral police officers were called to a disturbance in the 1500 block of Del Prado Blvd. S in Cape Coral.

The victim said she was in a verbal argument with a man she did not know but police later identified as Cape Coral resident Bret Austin Dahl.

According to Cape Police, the victim said Dahl, 29, exited his vehicle and aggressively approached hers. As the victim tried to call the police, Dahl allegedly put his arm inside her driver-side window and smacked the phone out of her hand, hit her in her left arm, and spit on the back driver-side window. Sometime during the course of the incident, the victim took pictures of the suspect’s vehicle and license plate.

Based on the Cape police investigation, detectives identified Dahl as a suspect for this February incident.

While trying to locate Dahl, authorities found he was already in custody at the Lee County Jail on unrelated charges stemming from an incident that occurred on Saturday, May 4.

That day, officers were dispatched to a home in southwest Cape Coral on a call related to a battery. During this incident, Dahl allegedly shoved the victim and stole their iPhone 15. He’s also accused of breaking the victim’s fish tank and flushing a beta fish down the toilet. Dahl allegedly caused an estimated $3,370 in property damage.

Dahl is now facing the following charges stemming from both cases:

One count of battery (for the May 4 incident)

One count of grand theft (for the May 4 incident)

One count of criminal mischief (for the May 4 incident)

One count of tampering with a victim (for the May 4 incident)

One count of animal cruelty (for the May 4 incident)

One count of burglary with battery or assault (for the Feb. 7 incident)