Trial starts for Ocoee officer accused of firing into home

The trial of an Ocoee police officer accused of shooting into a home after a dispatcher sent him to the wrong address began Wednesday with dramatic testimony from the homeowners and their teenage son.

Carlos Anglero is charged with shooting into a building. Eight jurors were sworn in Tuesday and began hearing testimony Wednesday morning.

Homeowner Christopher Lewis said he woke up Feb. 6, 2016, to hear someone ringing the doorbell and banging on the door of his Ocoee home. He left his bedroom and walked toward his front door, which is partially made of glass.

“Who’s knocking on my door?” he called out.

He didn’t know it at the time, but a police dispatcher had mistakenly sent officers to his home instead of to an address half a mile away for a domestic disturbance call. The disturbance was in a home on Bent Grass Avenue, but the Winter Garden police dispatcher entered “Bend Grass” into the system and came up with Lewis’ home on Belhaven Falls Drive, police have said.

Two officers — Anglero and Stephanie Roberts — were outside Lewis’ home, though Lewis said they did not identify themselves.

He went back to the bedroom and grabbed his Glock 19 pistol, which he said he had never fired. He had it by his side as he approached the foyer again.

“I never thought how I would approach that door should someone with intent to harm me or my family be out there,” Lewis said Wednesday.

Then someone outside yelled “Gun.” Lewis felt one bullet fly past his left ear and smelled gunpowder, he said Wednesday. He dove to the floor and yelled for his wife to call 911.

After calls from Lewis’ wife and son, a dispatcher called back and told the family to come out of the house with their hands up. Lewis put his gun away and came outside with his wife and son.

The trial is scheduled to continue today. Anglero is on unpaid administrative leave from the Ocoee Police Department.