Home / Crime and Justice / Florida Court Backs Order After Ferrari Search
Florida Court Backs Order After Ferrari Search
7 Nov
Summary
- Court upheld protection order over earlier abuse claims.
- Ferrari search visit video did not show domestic violence.
- Three prior assault allegations were key to the ruling.
A Florida appeals court has upheld a domestic violence protection order for Cara Siciliano against her estranged husband, Gerald Buchheit. The ruling, issued on November 7, 2026, centered on Buchheit's unannounced visit to Siciliano's Fort Myers condo in December 2024, where he sought his missing Ferrari. While a video of the visit did not demonstrate domestic violence, the court cited Siciliano's accounts of three earlier physical assaults, dating from 2016 to 2022, as sufficient grounds to support the order.
Buchheit argued that the video, which showed him calmly inquiring about the Ferrari and Siciliano on the phone, did not prove aggression. However, Siciliano detailed incidents including alleged choking, assault, and punching, and a shattered bedroom door. These prior allegations, despite Buchheit's disputes, were deemed credible by the court when assessing the risk of future violence.
The appeals court emphasized that Florida law permits protection orders based on a history of domestic violence or reasonable fear of future harm. The court also noted that Buchheit raised objections about the timeliness of certain evidence too late in the proceedings, reinforcing the trial court's original decision.
