Physician charged with rape after Saturday assault
By Elise Mulligan
Click here for updates on this story
COLUMBIA (KOMU) — A Columbia physician was arrested Wednesday and charged with rape after an assault on Saturday.
Travis Birkhead, 37, is charged with first-degree rape and fourth-degree assault after Columbia police responded to an assault of an adult female victim.
According to a press release, the incident took place outside a bar in the 2100 block of Business Loop 70.
A probable cause statement said surveillance video showed Birkhead being forcible with the victim. The statement said Birkhead led the victim toward a wooded area behind the bar and he reemerged about an hour later.
The victim told police she had no memory of the incident, the statement said. Officers who viewed the footage said the victim had trouble standing and dragged her feet while being led to the wooded area.
A text message sent by Birkhead indicated he had sexual intercourse with the victim, who police said was incapable of consent due to her apparent level of intoxication.
Police said he had previously been arrested for violation of a protection order on Sept. 9 and on Oct. 10 for violation of a protection order. Birkhead also faces charges of first-degree harassment and violation of a protection order stemming from a Sept. 15 case.
A probable cause statement said Birkhead violated an order of protection put in place by a different victim. The protection order states Birkhead cannot be within 500 feet of the petitioner, and police said Birkhead had driven by her house twice.
Police said Birkhead recently moved to the Columbia area and is a physician with ties to Lees Summit.
Birkhead worked at Magnolia Critical Care and Internal Medicine, where he was arrested Wednesday. The care center told KOMU 8 he is no longer employed there.
He is currently being held without bond in the Boone County Jail. After his initial court hearing Thursday, the judge ordered a bond investigation and he will have a bond hearing on Nov. 1. Birkhead’s preliminary hearing will be on Nov. 30.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
