The father of Travis Hunter, the electrifying two-way rookie for the Jacksonville Jaguars, was released from a Florida jail July 24, two days after being booked on a probation violation.
Travis Hunter Sr., 39, had a warrant out for his arrest in Palm Beach County, but the violation was withdrawn by the state. According to court documents, his ankle monitor was off for 11 minutes while he was at his home in Boynton Beach, where he grew up as a two-sport star and where Travis Hunter Jr. was raised.
Hunter Sr. is serving the first year of a three-year probationary period stemming from a 2023 arrest on gun and drug charges. The recent incident was his first reported violation in about 10 months of community control, which is essentially home confinement. He is hoping to move to the Jacksonville area after his confinement period ends to work for his son, who began his first training camp with the Jaguars on July 23.
Here’s what to know about Travis Hunter’s father:
Who is Travis Hunter Sr.?
Travis Hunter Sr. was a football and track star at Boynton Beach High School in the early 2000s. He set the school record in the 4×100-meter relay with a time of 41.63 seconds, a mark that still stands even after attempts by teams fielding future Heisman Trophy winner and NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. Hunter Sr. was clocked with a 10.82-second 100-meter dash as a freshman.
On the football field, he brought speed to the offense, defense and special teams, scoring a touchdown via kick return and interception return in one game in 2004. He graduated from Boynton Beach High in 2005 and planned to play JUCO football, but he chose to stay in South Florida to raise his children, instead playing semi-pro football.
What happened with Travis Hunter’s father?
Travis Hunter Sr. was sentenced to 90 days in prison on Sept. 25, 2024, stemming from a 2023 arrest on gun and drug charges. He was released in December from the Palm Beach County West Detention Center in Belle Glade, beginning a three-year period of supervision, the first year under community control with electronic monitoring followed by two years’ probation.
On July 22, Hunter Sr. was booked after a warrant for his arrest was issued for a violation of his house arrest. His ankle monitor was off for 11 minutes on June 28, according to court documents. When contacted by the monitoring center, Hunter Sr. verified he was in his bedroom while the monitoring device was in the living room.
Hunter Sr. stated on July 1 he had misplaced the monitoring device and he was looking for it as the alarm was sounding. This month’s arrest marks Hunter Sr.’s first suspected violation since he began probation approximately 10 months ago.
The case was brought before Circuit Judge Howard Coates, who agreed to have the violation withdrawn and ordered the reinstatement of his probation with all original terms. He was released and allowed to return home.
“Given the specific circumstances in this case, there was an attempt to remedy this prior to the arrest, it just happened too quickly,” Assistant State Attorney Alejandro Dermody-McKeen said. “The state withdraws the violation of probation.”
Why couldn’t Travis Hunter’s father attend Heisman ceremony?
Travis Hunter Sr. was released from his 90-day prison sentence nine days before the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York where his son won the coveted award. Hunter Sr. was not allowed to attend the Heisman ceremony, though Hunter Jr. gave him a heartfelt message during his acceptance speech. Hunter Sr.’s mother, Shirley Hunter, went in his stead to be with Hunter Jr.
In April, Hunter Sr. was granted permission by the courts to travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin, for the NFL Draft and his son’s wedding to Leanna Lenne on May 24 in Athens, Tennessee.
Coates told him, “I usually give deference to individuals that have once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and I consider your son getting drafted or your son’s wedding as once-in-a-lifetime events,” said Bradford Cohen, Hunter Sr.’s attorney.
What’s next for Travis Hunter’s father?
Hunter Sr. was hoping to move to Jacksonville to work for his son. Cohen argued his client’s “situation changed” because his son was drafted and now he has the opportunity to work for his son, which would benefit Hunter Sr.
With Hunter Sr.’s home confinement ending in late September, he would be free to transfer his probation period to anywhere in Florida. That would allow him to move to the Jacksonville area.
Contributing: Eric Wallace, Palm Beach Post
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter’s dad released from jail after probation violation. Who is Travis Hunter Sr?
Reporting by Dan Rorabaugh and Tom D’Angelo, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
