Winter Park High School Student Lukas Balint Files Lawsuit Against Winter Park Police

A Winter Park high school student has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Winter Park and several police officers over an incident that allegedly involved an unlawful detention when he was 16 years old.

Lukas Balint, now 18, is seeking legal action following an encounter with Winter Park police in the Windsong neighborhood on February 7, 2025. The incident reportedly happened around 10 p.m. while Balint was walking with two friends near a house under construction.

According to a report published by the Winter Park Voice on November 3, 2026, police Lieutenant David Graham was working an off-duty private security patrol when he noticed three teenagers walking near the construction site. The teenagers reportedly ran away, but Balint could not keep up because he was wearing a medical boot for a broken ankle.

Graham questioned the teenager, and additional police officers arrived at the scene. Balint was eventually handcuffed and placed inside a police vehicle while officers questioned him about the incident.

Although he was never taken to jail or formally charged with a crime, the encounter later became the subject of a federal lawsuit.

Lawsuit Alleges Unreasonable Detention

The lawsuit was filed on October 1, 2026, by NeJame Law Firm on behalf of Balint. It names the City of Winter Park, Graham and five additional police officers as defendants.

The complaint alleges that officers violated Balint’s constitutional rights through unreasonable seizure, excessive detention, false imprisonment and battery.

His attorneys argue that the teenager was simply walking through his neighborhood with friends and had not committed any crime. They also claim that he immediately complied when Graham identified himself as a police officer and instructed him to stop.

Body-camera footage obtained through a public records request reportedly captured portions of the encounter. The recording showed officers questioning Balint under flashing police lights before placing him in the back of a patrol vehicle.

During the interaction, Balint expressed concerns about being handcuffed and not being allowed to contact his parents. He described the experience as traumatizing.

Family Sought Resolution Before Filing Suit

According to NeJame Law Firm, the Balint family attempted to resolve the matter with the city for more than a year before taking legal action.

The City of Winter Park declined to comment on the allegations because the litigation is ongoing.

The lawsuit remains a legal matter, and the allegations have not been established as facts by a court. No final judgment has been reported.