Judge lets Mirkarimi see his son

San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi will be allowed to see his son today for the first time since Jan. 13, when he was arrested for an alleged incident of domestic violence involving his wife, Eliana Lopez, on New Year’s Eve.

“I miss my son terribly and he misses me,” Mirkarimi told the Chronicle, choking back tears.

Under the ruling issued today by family court Judge Ronald Albers, Mirkarimi can see his 2-year-old son, Theo, two hours a day during the week, and then up to six hours on a weekend day – without any supervision. He is still not allowed to have contact with his wife.

Mirkarimi was charged with domestic violence battery, endangering a child and dissuading a witness after his Western Addition neighbor told police that he grabbed his wife’s arm hard enough to cause bruising during an argument in front of their son, and that he tried to keep her from reporting the incident.

Both Mirkarimi and his wife say the charges against him are not true. His trial is set to start Feb. 24.

“Well, I just have to say that I am extremely happy that Theo’s going to see his daddy,” said Lopez. “He waits for Ross on the stairs in the morning, hoping Ross will be there to take him to school; he runs to the window in the evenings looking for Ross; and the last few days he has been imagining he sees Ross’s car outside.”

Lopez has not cooperated with authorities and has made repeated public statements that her husband did not abuse her.

“This has been a tortuous process,” said Mirkarimi. “I’m grateful that on a daily basis I will be reunited with my son…I’m just so hungry to see my son that I’m going to gobble him up.”