Local

Orlando police internal affairs investigation opened after unescorted woman attacked at OIA

The Orlando Police Department has opened an internal affairs investigation into officers at Orlando International Airport after they allegedly declined to walk an employee to her car just before she was attacked.
A married woman working at OIA had recently ended a relationship with Ricardo Garcia and was worried about retribution because “Garcia has a violent history when ending relationships,” an Orlando arrest affidavit said.
The woman went to police in Ocoee in June and filed a report detailing Garcia’s alleged threats to tell her husband and family about the affair, investigators said.
“Immediately after she sent the message asking (Garcia) not to contact her, he messaged back, saying ‘I can’t promise’ and then, ‘You need an injunction,’” the woman said in the report.
It was not the first time Garcia had legal trouble with an ex-girlfriend, court records show.
In 2012, another woman, who also worked at Orlando International Airport, got a five-year injunction after Garcia was charged with causing “a head-on traffic crash involving Garcia and his ex-girlfriend,” the injunction said.
On Nov. 24 at about 10 p.m., Garcia’s most recent ex-girlfriend asked police to be escorted to her vehicle because she was afraid of him.
The officer she spoke with told her to call police if she needed help, Garcia’s arrest affidavit said.
Just before 10:30 p.m., the woman said Garcia was waiting for her when she got off the elevator at the OIA parking garage.
The woman ignored Garcia, but called 911 on the way to her car, the affidavit said.
When she tried to close the vehicle’s door, Garcia allegedly held it open and said, “I just wanted to say hi. Are you calling the police? Don’t do that. Remember the war from the last time? Don’t let that happen again,” the affidavit said.
Garcia allegedly grabbed the woman’s phone and by the time she was able to wrestle it away from him, she realized she had been disconnected from 911.
After she called 911 a second time, Garcia walked toward the elevator and was gone by the time officers arrived, the affidavit said.
Officials at the Orlando Police Department said they have reached out to the victim to see if there is any way they can help to keep her safe.
Garcia was charged with tampering with or harassing a victim, stalking, grand theft and simple battery.