CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Former North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorn was arrested Wednesday at his Cape Coral home after failing to appear for a court arraignment in Collier County.
Cawthorn was scheduled to attend an arraignment for a traffic violation after being cited by Naples Police on August 19 for driving without a valid license. When he did not appear for the 8:30 a.m. hearing, the Collier County Clerk of Courts issued a warrant for his arrest.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office took Cawthorn into custody at his residence. He was released shortly after on a $2,000 bond.
In a statement to Gulf Coast News, Cawthorn said the missed court appearance was due to a scheduling misunderstanding and confirmed he was immediately released following his arrest.
Since losing his North Carolina congressional seat in 2022, Cawthorn has been rumored to consider running for Congress in Florida’s 19th District.
Previously, Cawthorn was involved in a 2024 crash in Collier County where he reportedly collided with the back of a Florida State Trooper vehicle along Alligator Alley.
