A Lubbock judge on Friday halved the bond for a 28-year-old U.S. Navy petty officer whose attorney argued was only partially responsible for a three-vehicle crash in south Lubbock that killed a beloved Slaton teacher.
District Judge William Eichman issued his ruling reducing the $100,000 bond set for Bode Arnold, who has been held at the Lubbock County Detention Center since his March 29 arrest.
Eichman also ordered Arnold to go through random drug and alcohol testing and that he must have an ignition interlock device on any vehicle he drives.
He faces a second-degree felony count of intoxication manslaughter, which carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison.
Arnold appeared Thursday morning for a hearing on his motion to reduce his bond to $20,000, during which his attorney, Travis Ware, argued that his client was a serviceman in good standing with the U.S. Navy, had no criminal history and was not a flight risk nor a danger to the community.
Investigating a deadly crash in south Lubbock County
Arnold’s arrest stems from a Texas Department of Public Safety investigation into a 10 p.m. March 28 three-vehicle crash near the intersection of FM 1585 and Avenue P that killed 72-year-old Leo Schneider and injured six other people.
According to a DPS news release, troopers responded to the scene of the crash involving three vehicles.
An initial investigation indicated that Arnold was driving a 2021 Ford Mustang eastbound on FM 1585 and rear ended a 2016 Dodge Ram pickup that was turning right onto Avenue P.
The impact sent the pickup into the westbound lanes of FM 1585, where it crashed head-on into the Nissan Armada driven by Schneider.
Schneider was taken by ambulance to University Medical Center where he died.
The driver and five passengers in the pickup truck suffered moderate injuries and were also taken by ambulance to UMC for treatment.
Arnold, who was uninjured, reportedly admitted to drinking alcohol before driving that night, according to a probable cause affidavit.
A standard field sobriety test reportedly yielded clues that indicated Arnold was intoxicated, the affidavit states.
Arnold also reportedly consented to a blood draw at the Lubbock County Detention Center.
During Thursday’s hearing, Arnold’s attorney, Ware, argued that the $100,000 bond against his client, who is stationed in Millington, Tennessee, was oppressive.
Ware argued that his client, who makes about $7,000 a month, was unable to afford the $15,000 bonding fee required by a local bail bond company for a surety bond.
“As a result, defendant has been and will remain incarcerated solely due to his financial circumstances,” Ware wrote in a motion for a bond reduction.
In court, Ware asked the court to reduce his client’s bond to $20,000.
He said his client, who has no history of violence or prior criminal convictions, does not pose a risk to the community.
Ware told the court there was information that the crash was unavoidable.
“The alleged offense is intoxicated manslaughter, wherein it is believed that another vehicle caused the accident,” Ware wrote in the motion.
Ware called on Arnold’s mother, Mindy Neeley, who told the court that her son called her after the crash and told her that the pickup truck, “pulled out going way too fast with way too many people in it.”
Neely also told the court that her son was driving home from a friend’s house, where she believed he drank two beers.
Neely said her son was also at his father’s house but told the court she didn’t know if he had alcohol there as well.
Meanwhile, a representative for National Bail Bonds told the court that should Arnold’s bond be lowered and he return to work in Tennessee, they would allow a co-signer, likely Neeley, to report in his stead.
Neeley told the court that she would make sure her son followed all the conditions of bond the court sets.
Ware said Arnold’s employment in the military added a layer of supervision to any condition the court orders. He told the court that he has spoken to Arnold’s supervising officer about his client’s situation.
“Of course the Navy is going to be having rules that he would abide by, too,” Ware said. “There’s no history of him not abiding by the United States Navy’s rules and regulations. We believe he is a serviceman in good standing with the U.S. Navy.”
Meanwhile, prosecutor Neal Spradlin argued that if Arnold were released on bond and returned to duty, it would be difficult to monitor him out of state.
He recommended the court impose additional conditions of bond to include requiring Arnold to call daily into a urinalysis call-in line, wear an alcohol monitoring device and to report once a month in person to a pre-trial release officer.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Bond reduced for seaman accused in Lubbock crash killing Slaton teacher
Reporting by Gabriel Monte, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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