The 36-year-old deputy [training officer and SWAT team member Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Travis Christopher Unholz] had been released from county jail Monday after he was booked on suspicion of spousal abuse, but he was back behind bars by late Wednesday... A victim was taken to Mission Hospital to be treated... Prosecutors say Unholz asked a friend to get him an automatic weapon and a survival kit. They say he also violated the protective order by asking the friend to contact his wife... Unholz on Thursday was charged with a felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury, a felony count of attempted possession of a firearm in violation of a protective order, two misdemeanor counts of child abuse, one misdemeanor count of violating a protective order and a sentencing enhancement of committing a crime while out of custody on bail for another criminal offense, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office... The term "crime-bail-crime" indicates that the defendant committed a crime while out of custody on bail for another criminal offense...DEPUTY ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF SPOUSAL ABUSE
The Orange County Register
By Salvador Hernandez and Erika I. Ritchie
Published: Feb. 2, 2011
Updated: Feb. 3, 2011 7:59 a.m.
[Excerpts] Sheriff's Department officials are investigating one of their own after a deputy was arrested on suspicion of domestic abuse. The 36-year-old deputy was taken into custody Sunday evening after authorities responded to his Trabuco Canyon home regarding a disturbance call... A victim was taken to Mission Hospital with unspecified injuries... He was booked on suspicion of domestic abuse and released the next day, when he posted bail... [He] is listed in 2005 and 2006 as a member of the sheriff's SWAT team... Shortly after his arrest, Unholz was placed on leave, McDonald said. He would not comment on whether it was a paid leave. The Orange County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case... No charges have been filed... [Full article here]
SHERIFF'S DEPUTY ARRESTED IN MISSION VIEJO, CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Travis Unholz, 36, has also been charged with violating a protective order by trying to obtain a gun while out on bail.
missionviejo.patch.com
February 3, 2011
[Excerpts] An Orange County sheriff's deputy was charged today with shoving his wife, who hit her head when she fell, and trying to get a gun in violation of a protective order, according to prosecutors. Deputy Travis Christopher Unholz, 36, was charged with felony domestic battery with corporal injury, felony attempted possession of a gun in violation of a protective order, two misdemeanor counts of child abuse and a misdemeanor count of violating a protective order, Deputy District Attorney Cyril Yu said. Unholz also faces a sentencing enhancement allegation for committing a crime while on bail, Yu said... Their two children were home at the time... The woman was taken by ambulance to a hospital for a cut... Unholz was released from jail Monday on $50,000 bail, Yu said. A protective order prohibited him from contacting his wife or possessing a gun... Unholz was arrested again Wednesday night in Mission Viejo when he violated the protective order by trying to obtain a gun from a friend and asking his friend to relay a message to his wife... Unholz was also trying to get a "survival kit" from his friend... Bail has been set at $250,000... Yu said he will seek to have Unholz held on no bail at his arraignment. Unholz faces up to six years and eight months in prison if he is convicted... [Full article here]
VETERAN O.C. DEPUTY FACES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES
The Orange County Register
By Salvador Hernandez and Sean Emery
Published: Feb. 3, 2011
Updated: Feb. 4, 2011
[Excerpts] A veteran Orange County deputy has been charged with domestic violence and trying to obtain a firearm while out on bail, three days after he was arrested by his colleagues on suspicion of spousal abuse. Travis Christopher Unholz on Thursday was charged with a felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury, a felony count of attempted possession of a firearm in violation of a protective order, two misdemeanor counts of child abuse, one misdemeanor count of violating a protective order and a sentencing enhancement of committing a crime while out of custody on bail for another criminal offense, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office... The 36-year-old deputy had been released from county jail Monday after he was booked on suspicion of spousal abuse, but he was back behind bars by late Wednesday... Unholz was first arrested Sunday after deputies responded to his Trabuco Canyon home on a disturbance call. Prosecutors say Unholz pushed his wife during an argument, causing her to fall to the floor and hit her head. His wife called a friend, who reported the incident to the Sheriff's Department... A victim was taken to Mission Hospital to be treated, said John McDonald, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department... Mission Hospital also contacted sheriff's officials... Prosecutors say Unholz asked a friend to get him an automatic weapon and a survival kit. They say he also violated the protective order by asking the friend to contact his wife... Authorities also declined to answer when asked for what purpose Unholz was trying to obtain a weapon... [Full article here]
TRAVIS CHRISTOPHER UNHOLZ, OC SHERIFF'S DEPUTY OUT ON BAIL FOR ALLEGEDLY ROUGHING UP WIFE, JAILED FOR TRYING TO CONTACT HER, GET SEMIAUTOMATIC GUN AND SURVIVAL KIT
OC Weekly
By Matt Coker, Thu., Feb. 3 2011 @ 6:25PM
[Excerpts] Veteran Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Travis Christopher Unholz, who was jailed Sunday for allegedly... Prosecutors will request that Unholz, a 36-year-old training officer and SWAT team member, be held without bail at his arraignment in Newport Beach Friday. He could get up to six years and eight months in state prison... The Orange County district attorney's office statement on Friday's arraignment follows... Travis Christopher Unholz, 36, Trabuco Canyon, is charged with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury, one felony count of attempted possession of a firearm in violation of a protective order, two misdemeanor counts of child abuse, one misdemeanor count of the violation of a protective order, and a sentencing enhancement for crime-bail-crime. The term "crime-bail-crime" indicates that the defendant committed a crime while out of custody on bail for another criminal offense... [Full article here and here]
Comments from web:
...a cop who did these things to his own family. what do you think he was doing to the regular joe on the street & how many more just like him are out there...
...Windfall is obviously a fellow cop. You forgot to mention that the deputy feared for his life, too, and was acting in self defense. Laws are for civilians, not LEOs!...
...Get a gun and survival kit? Hey windfall, whats your answer to that? Sounds like he was going to kill and hide out in the mountains for a while...
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety repeat hx lethal murder jail california state]
Could it be the blue wall of silence? Until the "good cops" start hands cuffed behind his back and then called the bus for a drunk.If what that person says is true, then I agree that the arrest was wrong.
ReplyDeleteO.C. DEPUTY CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
ReplyDeletelatimes.com
Robert Faturechi
February 28, 2011
An Orange County sheriff's deputy was convicted Monday of committing domestic violence against his wife, prosecutors said. Travis Christopher Unholz, 36, was sentenced to 19 days in jail and probation after pleading guilty to domestic battery and a felony firearms violation. The charges arose from a Jan. 30 incident in which the deputy argued with his wife and pushed her to the floor. A friend of the deputy's wife reported the incident to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, which investigated the incident. The firearms charge arose from a call Unholz made days later to a friend, asking for help acquiring an automatic weapon and a survival kit, according to the Orange County district attorney's Office. A spokesman for the Sheriff's Department could not be reached Monday for information on how or whether the conviction will affect Unholz's status as a deputy. However, felony convictions for law enforcement officers commonly result in termination. [LINK]
DEPUTY CONVICTED OF ABUSE, GUN CHARGE
ReplyDeleteocregister.com
BY VIK JOLLY
February 28, 2011
NEWPORT BEACH – In a deal that will end his law enforcement career, a sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty Monday to injuring his wife and then violating a protective order by attempting to obtain a gun. Travis Christopher Unholz, 36, of Trabuco Canyon pleaded guilty to one felony count of attempted possession of a firearm in violation of a protective order and one misdemeanor count of domestic battery with corporal injury, according to a news release from the Orange County District Attorney's Office. He had denied felony counts on both those charges earlier this month but took the offer from prosecutors and pleaded guilty to one of them as a lesser charge. Unholz was sentenced to 19 days in jail and three years of formal probation, including participation in a 52-week batterers treatment program. He is also barred from owning or possessing any firearms, and a protective order was issued prohibiting him from having any contact with the victim or his two children for three years, prosecutors said. [LINK]
WIFE, EX-WIFE ASK FOR PROTECTION FROM DEPUTY
ReplyDeleteThe Orange County Register
Salvador Hernandez
Published: Feb. 7, 2011
[Excerpts] A deputy facing domestic-violence charges asked a colleague at the Sheriff's Department for a semi-automatic rifle and a survival kit, even though a protective order prohibited him from having a firearm of any kind... But when he asked his friend for the weapon, the deputy instead notified his superiors at the Orange County Sheriff's Department, letting them know he was concerned for the 13-year veteran who appeared to be sinking into a depression... Sheriff officials met him at a Mission Viejo hotel, and Unholz was taken into custody for a second time in one week. One of the deputies was also concerned that Unholz would try to take his weapon, and he secured his own firearm inside his car before meeting him at the hotel... Since the incident, a protective order was filed on behalf of Unholz's wife, and his former spouse has also requested a protective order against him. "I am fearful of Travis and fearful of my children being with Travis," wrote the deputy's first wife in a protective order request filed in court. "Travis has a history of domestic violence"... [Full article here]
Everytime you defend one of these guys as the good o boy, they go out and victimize someone else.I'm tired of these abusers getting off easy. Their friends ( blue wall ) cover up for them. All police should be held to higher standards. Also, police should never police themselves. That is why this problem of abuse and corruption will always continue.
ReplyDelete