State attorney files charges against Space Coast Rocket news outlet founder 

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – State Attorney Phil Archer of the 18th Judicial Circuit filed charges against the founder of Space Coast Rocket, Robert William Burns, following an incident with a woman at her place of employment on Aug 10.

A video posted online shows Burns entering an Avis Rental Car in Brevard County and confronting a woman who works there, Karen Colby, about a Facebook post.

According to the arrest warrant obtained by Florida’s Voice, 43-year-old Burns is being charged with two misdemeanors and one felony. The three counts are listed as: tampering with a witness – underlying offense misdemeanor, trespass in structure or conveyance (human being present) and battery.

Burns released a statement on his website which said he will “cooperate fully with the authorities and the courts,” however, he plans to “vehemently contest these baseless charges.”

According to their website, the Space Coast Rocket is an independent media outlet.

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, shared the nine minute video of the incident, and called it “very disturbing.”

Colby is seen in the video asking Burns to leave multiple times, to which he refused. According to the probable cause statement, Colby said she began to call 911 on an Avis work phone and Robert “reached over the counter and hung up the phone.” The video shows Colby calling 911 on her personal cell.

“Get your hand off my equipment,” Colby said in the video. 

Burns later said in a statement he did not interfere with Colby making a 911 call.

Around six minutes into the video, Colby told dispatchers Burns was entering her back office.

“Oh my god he’s going into my office. Get the hell out of here! You better get out of here right now,” Colby said. 

Burns admitted to confronting Colby in a post on his website and admitted to recording the incident and uploading it to his Youtube channel.

The police report said Colby ran in front of Burns and “demanded he leave and he finally left.” The officer said contact was unable to be made with Burns at the time of the incident. 

Burns said it is “disheartening that the Office of the State Attorney has chosen to press charges.”

“They’ve accused me of Tampering with a Witness (despite the video showing I encouraged Colby to contact the police and didn’t interfere with her 911 call), Trespassing (even though AVIS is publicly accessible), and Battery (despite Colby repeatedly admitting to the 911 operator that I never touched her),” Burns said.

Colby told police she knows Robert “personally and has had prior political based interactions with him.” 

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office told Florida’s Voice that Burns turned himself in to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Jail for the arrest. He was released on $3,000 bond.

Florida’s Voice reached out to Burns for comment on the story and was referred to his website which provides a full statement.