A Lee County judge has partly lifted a no-contact order protecting the woman who accused Cape Coral police officer Travis Harrison of pinning her to his garage floor and threatening to kill her, even as the 34-year-old awaits a pretrial hearing on misdemeanor battery and assault charges.
Judge Grants Defense Motion to Restore Contact
Lee County Judge Nicole Mirra granted a defense motion on Oct. 29 that amended the order to forbid only violent contact between Harrison and his accuser, according to the Miami Herald. Harrison's defense attorney, Timothy Culhane, had filed the motion on Oct. 12 asking Mirra to restore nonviolent contact between the two, and also requested removal of Harrison's GPS monitor, which the judge approved. According to the newspaper, the accuser said she would like Harrison to come home to assist and care for his children.
The case stems from an off-duty domestic disturbance in Lee County that ended with Harrison's arrest at his Fort Myers home just after midnight on Aug. 31, as news-press.com reported. Cape Coral police said Harrison was off duty when he was arrested, and he now faces one misdemeanor count of battery and one misdemeanor count of assault.
Accuser Described Being Pinned and Threatened
Per court documents, the woman told Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies that Harrison pushed her and “towered over” her, which made her feel threatened. The outlet's report also states she said Harrison grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the garage floor. Harrison is accused of pushing the woman by her head, grabbing her wrists and forcing her into the garage, out of camera view, per the same account.
According to the report, Harrison told her that women believe they can control men, but that he was stronger and could kill her. Security footage separately recorded Harrison saying “I will [expletive] come for you” and “I will [expletive] you up,” the outlet reported. The woman has since declined to press charges, though the arrest itself was described as mandatory because of the physical nature of a domestic violence incident.
Criminal and Internal Investigations Continue
The Lee County Sheriff's Office launched a criminal investigation into the incident that led to Harrison's arrest. Cape Coral police placed Harrison on administrative leave, and the department is conducting its own internal affairs investigation into the officer, according to the same reporting.
Under Florida law, a court-issued no-contact order takes effect immediately and remains enforceable for the duration of pretrial release unless the court modifies it, according to Florida Statutes Section 903.047. Unless a court specifies otherwise, such orders typically bar direct or indirect communication, physical or violent contact, and proximity within 500 feet of certain locations. The statute allows a judge to modify those conditions on a defendant's motion if good cause is shown and the interests of justice require it, with the victim given an opportunity to be heard — the process Culhane appears to have used in seeking the amendment Mirra granted.
Harrison is due for a pretrial hearing on Tuesday. Neither the disposition of the battery and assault charges nor the outcome of the department's internal affairs investigation has been reported.
