Travis Holloway, a 37-year-old Palm Coast resident currently teaching at Buddy Taylor Middle School, was arrested for domestic violence battery Thursday following an incident at an Ormond Beach Walmart involving his ex-girlfriend and his 3-year-old child.
It is Holloway’s third arrest in the past eight years, the second involving domestic violence, a period through which he’s been employed by the Flagler school district. The arrests don’t include an injunction for protection against violence his ex-girlfriend–involved in the incident Thursday–filed for in 2015.
He is still employed as a physical education teacher at Buddy Taylor. He’s been employed in the Flagler school district since 2003. “This is a pending investigation and as soon as we receive information from law enforcement, we will follow our procedures and protocols,” a spokesperson said Friday. There was no indication the Ormond Beach police, which secured the warrant for Holloway’s arrest, was aware of his status as a teacher, though the Flagler County Sheriff’s which served the warrant, was, and included the information as part of its procedures.
In 2009 Holloway had been arrested on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon felony charge involving a previous girlfriend, when he had “grabbed her by the arms and pulled her out of bed,” then “slammed” her against the wall and to the floor, struck her twice in the face, grabbed his 9mm gun and pointed it at her, then intimated either he or she could cut themselves “and do it right,” according to his arrest report at the time. The charge was reduced to the improper exhibition of a firearm and simple battery, thus reducing the offenses to misdemeanors, enabling him to keep his job. He was sentenced to two years’ probation.
He tried to terminate his probation early, as certain defendants are allowed to do when they meet certain criteria. “I have learned a valuable lesson,” he wrote the judge, describing himself as responsible and knowing how much he had to lose–his teaching and coaching career. “Through all of this my principles [sic.] and co-workers have stood by me and I was blessed enough to keep my job, which proves that I am good at what I do,” he wrote. (The downgrading of his offense to a misdemeanor had more likely enabled him to keep his job as he would not have had he been a felon.) “I am a responsible person of the community,” he continued. “I have a house, a nice car, and a career that I love and I know that I could lose everything if I continue to make mistakes. I have learned my lesson and know what can happen if you don’t think before you act.”
In fact, he had had not entirely learned the lesson: he violated his probation by smoking pot. “There is no excuse for what I did and I again take full responsibility for my actions,” he wrote, attributing the violation to “stresses at work” and breaking up with his girlfriend. “I was upfront with my probation officer and they knew that it was a onetime stupid mistake that would never happen again, and chose not to violate my probation so it was put in as a technicality.”
The judge denied early termination of probation.
Holloway tried again in February 2011, and again pleaded that he understood “the severity of my actions,” and how sorry he was. Again he wrote of learning from his mistake. “I know how much I have to lose if I get into any more trouble whether it’s now, six months from now, or a year from now,” he wrote the judge, acknowledging that if he did so, he would not only go to jail “but would also lose my career as an educator/coach, my home, my car, and everything I have worked so hard for. I just want to put this behind me and move on with my life.” (Three weeks after he wrote the letter, Wells Fargo filed for foreclosure on Holloway’s house on Palm Coast’s Seaside Court, which he’d bought in 2006. He currently lives on Eric drive.)
He was again denied early termination of probation–at the time by Judge Raul Zambrano. That was in March 2011. Holloway’s probation ended in September 2011.
Barely two months later, he was again arrested on a drug offense.
The arrest for marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession, a first-degree misdemeanor, was in Volusia County. (Volusia has since decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, but only for individuals with no prior convictions, so the dispensation would not have applied to Holloway even if the decriminalization measure had been in place then.) It’s not clear whether the school district in Flagler was aware of that charge. That December, Holloway agreed to a first-offender drug-intervention program, part of a deferred prosecution agreement, which he successfully completed at Stewart-Marchmann Behavioral Healthcare in March 2012. So the charge was subsequently dropped.
Around 2014, he became a father. The following year, the mother of his child, the same alleged victim in the incident that led to Holloway’s arrest Thursday, filed for an injunction for protection against Holloway.
He and his child’s mother have been split, but by court order, they are to carry out exchanges of the child at the Walmart in Ormond Beach on set dates. That’s what was taking place on Aug. 16, when Holloway was handing the child over to the child’s mother, a 25-year-old resident of Ormond Beach. According to the arrest report, Holloway “got upset at the way” the child’s mother was taking the child from him “and aggressively shoved her backward causing her to lose balance and use the car for stability. While in the commission of the battery, the [child] was still in the hands of” Holloway, who then, according to the report, used the child instead of his hands to push his ex-girlfriend. The child became upset, and “possibly obtained mental injury after the fact of watching” Holloway allegedly “batter” the mother.
The alleged victim told police that there had been “similar cases of domestic battery or disturbance when conducting the child exchange.” The arrest report lists four other Ormond Beach Police cases.
Holloway was charged with felony child abuse without great harm, and domestic violence battery. A warrant was issued for his arrest and served on Thursday, when he was booked at the Flagler County jail early that morning. As of Friday evening, the jail site indicated he was still being held there on no bond on Ormond Beach’s warrant.
“I know that what I did was wrong, but as you know there are usually three sides to the story (their side, your side, and the truth),” he’d written Judge Zambrano in 2011, putting the last clause in parentheses, before again excusing himself even as he asserted that he was not making excuses: “[T]he point is that there was more to the story than what was said. I am not for a second excusing what I did, I know what I did was wrong, and I have learned my lesson and I just want to move on with my life.”
woodchuck says
She picked him.
Knowsalittle says
Time for someone to be terminated from his position with the schools. He has no business being around children.
Yours truly says
Are you kidding me??? This guy is a teacher? Another A+ for our Flagler Schools Administration
gmath55 says
Who was the brain child for child exchanges at Wal-mart? That should take place at a police station. And, he is a big man (tough guy) hitting a woman and threaten her with a gun. He continues making these mistakes which he admits to but is allowed to teach still? I wouldn’t want my child any where near this guy. Lock him up already!
ASF says
This guy should never be allowed to work around children or vulnerable populations again. And since his fingerprints are in the system, that should not be a problem to enforce.
Sw says
3 strikes your out
Layla says
There is no side to a story which involves abuse of any kind. This man cannot control his anger. That’s what battery is, uncontrollable anger. He’s going to badly hurt or kill someone with his rage if he is not stopped. Very upsetting that he works around children.
Brian says
This guy’s “moving on with his life” is going to get someone killed.
JustBNice says
As a teacher with a history of violence against women, he obviously can’t control his temper. He needs counseling and must be taken out of the classroom permanently.
Jenn says
Way to go. Do you not do a background check on the people you how to teach our kids? He needs to be fired. Noon of that nonsense suspended with pay. This system makes me sick.
Nick says
This is who we employ to mold young children’s minds? This man is clearly a violent repeat offender.i wonder how he talks to kids
Concerned Citizen says
Why on earth is this guy still employed by the School system? Are regular background checks not required anymore to make sure we are screening our educators?
It takes a big man to beat up your wife and drag her out of bed. I see she was such a threat that you had to point a gun at her also.
DV perps are all the same. They are only sorry after they get caught. And he is only concerned about what he has to loose not the harm and damage he has caused to the victim.
Hopefully he will go to jail and try beating up an inmate much larger than him. Let’s see how that goes.
This guy needs to stop catching breaks Probation isn’t working. He needs to be incarcerated for a long time and def needs to not be around guns or our kids.
Flagler County School System you need to suspend this guy and get him off school grounds ASAP. He’s a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.
Anonymous says
How did he have a job with the school?
Diane says
It’s about time the school system started enforcing fingerprints from every employee every year . Shame on you Flagler school district ! Human Resources needs a complete over haul . And the school board over looked this as well. It would have been only a matter of time before he went crazy on one of the students . So all you have to do is plead down your felony charges to a mistermenor and the school board says …come work for us ….
Andrew says
I rember this guy when I was in school. This guy is awesome. Great teacher
Women these days have can push me to there breaking point then play victim. This guys outside life with the crazy broad he got tied up with shouldn’t affect his job. No complaints from students. Give this guy a break.
Anonymous says: says
WTF this if someone teaching in our schools. This is deplorable. MAybe the judge shouldn’t have given him so many chances.
Anonymous says
Wow, not surprised really. He was actually my coach back when I was in middle school, the rumors that he had battery charges agaisnt him were always floating around. He was a terrible coach by the way, just sat in a chair the entire time and let us do pretty much whatever we wanted.
Christian says
He is the nicest teacher at buddy Taylor and he does not disrespect us kids and has barely ever yelled at any of the kids, he is a good man with problems, but he deserves to keep his job.
Will says
Domestic violence convictions should disqualify you from owning a gun.
anonymous says
How is it possible that in order to get into the schools to see…speak..have lunch..or pick up your child, we as parents, have to show I.D.’s … even after years at the same school, with the same administrators…and this moron still teaches at the school??? Is he a fine example to the young men that attend his school??? Is he an example as to how a lady should be treated? Or are his actions acceptable, according to the school district??? I mean, They must be ok with having him in the school teaching if he’s still there!! What a disgrace!!! On his part and on the school boards part!! Glad my children don’t go there…I’d be their worst nightmare!!
Anonymous says
Buddy Taylor suspends kids for hitting and pushing but they employed someone who has a bad temper and likes to hit people himself. Way to go buddy tayler for showing how crooked the school system thier really is. Smh. I think before this school comes down hard on thier students they need to look into who they hire to be around our kids. But I just remembered this school lets any teacher act any kind of way and get in no trouble. I sure don’t want this guy around my kids
Kate says
Thank god he’s finally exposed for the abuser that he is! My girl has been dealing with his crap for way too long!! Thankfully always taking the high road and leaving him to make his own bed to lie in. He shouldn’t be teaching children ANYTHING. The truth ALWAYS comes out. Karma is real.
Kate says
Exchanging at a police station isn’t normal… Having a split home is hard enough. Children deserve some sort of normalcy in that situation
thomas says
He should be terminated immediately, as should the chain of command that has allowed to remain employed. GOOD LORD!
Obama says
Replace him w a Better qualified teacher from Volusia county
Stanley Wolak says
If you keep him in the school system,it doesn’t say much for the whole school system.We have enough good Teachers out there looking for jobs maybe he can use his Teaching skills at Flagler County Jail!!
Student says
I was one of his students. I no longer go there but coach Holloway was my favorite coach. He never did anything other than teach me P.E. My school system saw a guy in a bad situation and tried to help. Y’all should be ashamed of yourselves judging a person by just his faults.
Student says
#freecoachholloway
Student says
I loved him as a teacher! He was my favorite.
COASTBOY says
As a former student I can honestly say this man was a great positive impact on mine and many other kids lives. Never raised his voice or talked down to anyone. He made school fun and was great at coaching his athletes and more. I could go on forever but let’s keep it short. Yes he got caught up with a chick who is about 11/12 years younger, at 25 she’s obviously going thru her own problems that unfortunately have turned into his “baby mama problems”. What goes on at home is their business. He wrongfully has been arrested for most charges. (And hey everyone smokes weed) but anyways this guy Is absolutely great at what he does in the flagler school system. Praying for you Coach. Keep your head up and keep the positive attitude that you pushed and molded into your students
ASF says
Suffice to say, it appears that he hasn’t taught you well.
Anji Brazell says
This makes me sick. Excellent teachers with superb reputations and 21+year’s experience, and NO CRIMINAL ARRESTS or BATTERY CHARGES or drug possession ARRESTS (and, no, everyone does NOT smoke weed), these instructors are terminated because of minor, non-criminal suppositions. And this guy is kept as an employee. GREAT role model for 11-14 year old kids, right?? Stupid FC again.
Former FC professional says
This seems to have happened over and over again in Flagler County under Jacob Oliva’s Watch! There are rules that govern teachers BUT it is clear FC HR and school board pick and choose their favorites. I agree with the writerThomas that said the chain of command should be terminated immediately. There are too many outstanding teachers that were basically harassed into quitting, resigning, or retiring by the FC School system w/o ANY arrests of any kind! We are required to report any arrest! Don’t let this get swept under the carpet…. WHO in the FC School System was responsible for allowing this teacher with so many arrests to continue employment????? Was Superintendent Jacob Oliva aware? Had to be! HR Mr.Vern Orndorff??? Now those two guys are gone but ,they have been replaced.And they work for us and so does Our school board members who should be accountable! Teachers are threatened with being brought up before the school board if they do anything wrong! It looks like somebody in HR allowed this employment for YEARS! They should have consequences. Not just the teacher. Let’s be fair people and get to the bottom of this unfair Favoritism system!!!!
Bill says
Half of you dont even have children at Btms is what I’m betting and you know what this is tiring nobodys giving him a chance
Violet says
Seems to me he’s already had chances. No, NOT EVERYONE smokes pot. Seems like he’s a “great teacher” for letting kids do “whatever” they want. Sorry, being a student of his does not qualify you to determine whether or not he’s a good teacher. His actions, his history, his behavior, determines that. And, as many people need to realize, there are CONSEQUENCES for bad behavior. His may very well be that’s he’s lost his ability to work as a teacher. Don’t care if his girlfriend is a WITCH, NO EXCUSE. LEAVE!!
Catie says
He has recently been transferred to Rymfire Elementary and is now teaching gym to young children. This is unacceptable!!
Monica says
I’ve just been made aware that my children at Rymfire Elementary School have this man as their gym coach. This is absolutely unacceptable. This is a person known for years of violence toward others. I have contacted the superintendent, and I intent to have my children removed from his class. School should be a safe environment. If my children knew what this man had done, they would be terrified of him.
Ihavetotellyousomething says
The guys teaching a elementary school now not middle school, I know him he switched schools with my fav coach
Ihavetotellyousomething says
I’m actually in that school I showed this to my friends and even people who aren’t my friends
Anonymous says
This dude is nice so all you haters that is being mean to him stop
ConcernedAndWorried says
I had this guy as a teacher in like 6th grade (Like 4-5 years ago? At Rymfire.) and he was super weird. Like he would always look at the girls in the class, including me in this super funny kinda way and I didn’t like it. Also, we were playing dodgeball in the gym and I slipped on a ball and kinda passed out, and when I came to, he was like rubbing my arm and was way too close to my face. After that, I just stayed on the opposite side of the room from him at all times. And yes I know it’s nothing like special or anything, I just didn’t like it. (Also, no need for me to say this but his breath would ALWAYS smell and he’d like get into your face to talk to you so yeah.)