Out Of Jail Again: Man On Manslaughter Bond Involved In Flomaton Wreck

June 25, 2009

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The man involved in a serious Flomaton crash in late March while he was free on manslaughter charges for the deaths of an Atmore couple is once again free on bail.

hauermug.jpgGeorge Wesley Hauer, 61, of Old Atmore Road, Flomaton, has been released on $100,000 bond according to Baldwin County (Ala.) court records.

Authorities say Hauer was involved in an accident that injured a family of four on March 22 on Highway 31 east of Flomaton. At the time of the accident, he had been out on bond for only about two weeks after being charged with manslaughter in Baldwin County for a 2007 wreck that killed an Atmore couple. About a month later, a Baldwin County judge ordered his bond revoked and he was sent back to the county jail.

Baldwin County District Attorney Matt Simpson objected to the reinstatement of Hauer’s bond, but the judge allowed him to walk free while he awaits trial — with a few conditions. He is confined to his home except to visit his attorney, medical appointments and to attend church services.

In the March 20, 2007, wreck, Dwight Eugene Nichols, 74, and his wife Wilma Ellavan Nichols, 77, of Atmore were traveling south in a Mercedes E320 on Highway 31 near Perdido, when they collided with a northbound sports utility vehicle driven by Hauer, according to Alabama State Troopers. Both Nichols died a short time later at an area hospital. Hauer was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of manslaughter in connection with that accident.

The March 22 Flomaton accident happened just after 4:00 p.m. on Highway 31 at Old Fannie Road. Officials say the car, driven by David Smith of Flomaton collided with a truck driven by Hauer. Smith was transported to Baptist Hospital by ambulance were he was treated for a broken jaw. Hauer was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by LifeFlight in serious condition but was soon released from the hospital.

Leigh Smith, a passenger in the car hit by Hauer, was transported by LifeFlight to Baptist Hospital in critical condition. Another passenger in the car, Samantha Bryant, a senior at Flomaton High School, was transported to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola with non life threatening injuries. Passenger Curtis Byrant refused treatment the scene. Relatives tell us that Curtis Bryant suffered a broken wrist in the accident, and Samantha Bryant suffered just minor injuries. Leigh Smith was hospitalized for a lengthy time with broken ribs, a broken shoulder and a broken knee.

Click here for a photo gallery from the accident scene. 

Pictured top: The Smith family vehicle that was involved in a March 22 accident with George Wesley Hauer. Pictured below: Haeur’s truck. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.

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Comments

20 Responses to “Out Of Jail Again: Man On Manslaughter Bond Involved In Flomaton Wreck”

  1. t on June 28th, 2009 7:49 am

    Well that’s just great, ain’t it? He gets a pretty new truck for his worries. I guess instead of getting punished for being in so many wrecks, you just get a prize instead. His insurance needs to buy the Smiths a new vehicle! But I guess doing what is right isn’t in today standards. At least while the Smiths are struggling he will be riding in style. Even if he gets in another wreck, I’m sure he will just get another great looking ride. Come to think of it, he has a better ride than me, does this mean if I am reckless, cause a lot of people greif, I can get out on bond and ride in luxury? (Something is sooooo wrong with this world)

  2. Ifish4 on June 26th, 2009 11:10 pm

    I’ve been voting for almost 40 years, and when I see. “should Judge xxxx be retained in office”. I ALWAYS vote “NO”. No matter who the judge is, maybe if we vote several out, the rest will take notice.

  3. COncerned Citizen on June 26th, 2009 10:58 pm

    They are now driving a 2009 silver 4 door Toyota Tacoma.. They had it before Leigh even got out of the hospital. Yes it is a beautiful world and obviously fair world we live in .. you can accidentally kill an animal and go to prison for YEARS, but you can KILL 2 INNOCENT people, and nearly kill one other and injure 3 others and WALK FREE….I too would like to know how the H**L he is going to get to his so called attorney visits, Dr visits and Church ( he really needs to go there, he needs to find God ) ……Just watch the Roads is all I can say I know I will.. I too would also like to know if Mr Hauer was drunk or what when the accidents happened.. When he will be going to trial for the killings he did in 2007.. it has been 2 yrs and that family deserves some closure and satisfaction of him being locked up for life!!!!!

  4. keith cota on June 26th, 2009 6:46 pm

    y he did that on perpose there sould be no bond he should be in there for life.This is his 2nd time doing this

  5. Beegee on June 26th, 2009 10:10 am

    In my opinion and past{way back} experience to answer the question “how these judges are elected?” is simply ignorantly going down the list and randomly marking their names …. generally folks do not know anything about these people that they are marking….I have,as a much younger voter,been guilty!!!! We need to honestly seek out info on these judges’ records……..and pray that the LORD will give you insight before each and every time you make a mark on a ballot…inone word:education!!!

  6. sjfb on June 26th, 2009 9:47 am

    What happens when someone else gets killed or hurt? Will he get out again? Who appointed or elected this judge? We need to rethink before he is appointed or elected again.

  7. Thinker on June 26th, 2009 9:35 am

    Yeah Ifish4, right on, dude.

  8. Beegee on June 26th, 2009 9:01 am

    Ifish4……I like that and I do agree…….

  9. William on June 25th, 2009 7:34 pm

    It was Baldwin County Circuit Judge Charles Partin, the same judge that revoked bond after the Flomaton crash.

  10. Joe Bloe on June 25th, 2009 7:29 pm

    Hey william,

    can u give us the judge’s name? If all the readers of this site, email him and the baldwin county press, and demand justice…maybe the killer will be sent back to jail. thanks

  11. interested reader on June 25th, 2009 6:17 pm

    I totally agree that he will drive again! Why not, no big deal, just manage to get the same judge and he will be back on the streets in no time. WHEN WILL THE JUDGES GET SOME BACKBONE OR JUST SOME COMMON SENSE? Probably not any time soon as they are in everybody’s pocket. Nuf said.

  12. Ifish4 on June 25th, 2009 5:52 pm

    Maybe a law should be passed similar to what the army had years ago. If you were transporting a prisoner and he escaped then you served out his sentence. I bet if the judge that let a person out with a record like this man has, had to serve out this man’s sentence if he hurt someone while he was out, bail would be a lot harder to come by.

  13. t on June 25th, 2009 5:34 pm

    Well, the last time, he hit people in my husband’s family. Now who is it going to be. We all need to know what roads and when he will be traveling them. I don’t want to loose my children because of his “driving”. Exactly how many more wrecks does he have to be in before he is kept under lock and key. And house arrest isn’t good enough. It seems the first family and Leigh has paid big for his doings. Leigh has pretty much been house ridden. And the Nichols will forever be gone. I’m just not understanding why he can be let loose to do it again.

  14. an observer on June 25th, 2009 5:03 pm

    WHAT’S HE DRIVING NOW???? WE ALL NEED TO KNOW SO WE CAN BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HIS CRAZY…

  15. AHHN on June 25th, 2009 4:03 pm

    Good job judge, you made the right call. Bet he would still be in jail if he hit your family!

  16. Thinker on June 25th, 2009 11:22 am

    Why manslaughter? Was he DUI? Article doesn’t say.
    Also, the judge confined him to his home then why can he go to church? Is he allowed to DRIVE to church, to his attorney, to medical? Attorneys don’t make home visits and doctors don’t make home visits, but surely…a clergy will, right? Does he go regularly? So what if he drives to church or to attorney or to medical treatment and has another wreck on the way to or from….then who’s responsible? Real logic there, uh?
    What caused repeated accidents? Blindness? DUI? We need to know. I missed previous articles.

  17. Dude on June 25th, 2009 10:02 am

    Similar story, some NFL football player hits & kills a guy via DUI Manslaughter. He got something like a month of jail time, home confinment, and is allowed to play football. Then Michael Vick & his dog trial gets two years of jail and all of the probation stuff to go with it. What the hell???

  18. Kellie on June 25th, 2009 9:58 am

    THE COURT SYSTEM FAILS THE PUBLIC AGAIN!! Released with a few conditions. HE WAS RELEASED LAST TIME WITH CONDITIONS AND WE SEE WHAT HAPPENED HE ALMOST KILLED MY SISTER IN LAW. Please everyone that lives near Flomation be very careful because he will drive again. No conditions stopped him when he about killed my family even after killing someone elses family. Leigh has overcome so much and now if someone takes her anywhere she will have to wonder is he on the road again. This is unfair to her and her family. Someone needs to review how are courts work because the punishment never fits the crim.

  19. BGA on June 25th, 2009 9:09 am

    You Kill somebody you get out of it you got drugs you go to prison thats a darn shame…. yes Lee has a long way to go this creep messed her up

  20. Shakingmyhead on June 25th, 2009 7:45 am

    How many more have to suffer before he is stopped????????
    Leigh is still getting serious P/T and it will take a long time for her to heal.
    Those 2 families will have to deal with the results of his recklesness forever.
    I just don’t get it.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News