UPDATE -
Kenneth Retzer appeared in court Sunday morning on Domestic Violence charges.
He is now being ordered to stay away from Cape Coral Mayor Marni Sawicki.
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CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- A former Lee County Fire Fighter and once husband of Cape Coral's mayor was arrested for domestic violence, Saturday.
This happened early Saturday morning, at the Fountainebleau hotel in Miami Beach, where 48-year-old Kenneth Retzer allegedly beat and choked a female victim.
Retzer has a history with law enforcement encounters.
Cape Coral Mayor Marni Sawicki filed a restraining order against Retzer in May of 2016, stating in a petition that he would send her hundreds of text messages a day, show up to council meetings, and leave several threatening voicemails. The mayor stated this made her scared to go to city meetings. Surprising to many, the two were married and divorced in the months following the petition.
In November, police responded to another incident involving Retzer. Retzer called 911 during a dispute at the mayor's home, saying he smashed a phone and was leaving the house. No charges were filed in that incident.
However, Retzer is now accused of a violent incident, in a hotel room at the Fountainebleau in Miami Beach. According to his arrest report, Retzer himself called 911 after he straddled an unidentified victim and began choking her, then punching her in the face. When police arrived, they found blood splattered on the white bed sheets and punch marks on the wall of the room.
The report states the victim provided video of Retzer's erratic behavior leading up to the violence. Officers confiscated a gun from Retzer's car, as well as a gun belonging to the victim.
Retzer was sent to the hospital before being taken to jail. The former firefighter is now facing battery and strangulation charges.
