Beating lands bounty hunter, bail bondsman in jail
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
By Tommy Witherspoon
Tribune-Herald staff writer
The Waco bounty hunter known as “Cowboy” and local bail bondsman Ronnie Hill have been charged in an Oct. 4 incident that left a man who missed a court date with multiple facial fractures.
Hill, 65, and Dale Cobb, the 50-year-old convicted felon who tracks down bail jumpers for several bail bondsmen, were charged Tuesday with aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Hill also was charged with making a false report to a police officer, a Class B misdemeanor.
Hill surrendered to police Tuesday and was released from the McLennan County Jail after posting bonds totaling $10,000.
Cobb has made arrangements to surrender this morning at Justice of the Peace Jean Laster’s office, Waco police spokesman Steve Anderson said.
The charges stem from an incident at a home in the 3500 block of Pine Avenue in which James Callahan reportedly was beaten and handcuffed by Cobb and Hill.
According to a police affidavit filed to support Hill’s arrest, Callahan saw someone at the back door trying to get into the house.
The person, later identified as Cobb, told him to open the door, but Callahan refused, according to the report.
Callahan told police that he next saw Hill coming through the front door and that Hill told him that he was going to jail because he missed a court date on Callahan’s pending DWI charge.
Cobb reportedly forced his way through the back door and grabbed Callahan from behind, pushing him to the floor, according to the affidavit filed by Waco police detective Gary Freeman.
Cobb put a handcuff on one of Callahan’s hands while the report says Hill held him down on the floor as Cobb struck him repeatedly in the face.
The pair tried to take Callahan to jail after the incident. However, jail personnel turned them away after seeing Callahan’s condition and told them to take him to a hospital, according to police reports.
Callahan will require surgery to repair “numerous broken bones in his face,” the affidavit states.
Hill said Tuesday before he went to jail that a woman let him into the residence and that he told Callahan he was there to take him to jail for missing court.
He said Callahan then rushed him, initiating the assault.
Hill lifted his shirt to reveal a volleyball-size bruise on his left rib cage. He said Callahan struck him, adding that he also caused abrasions on both his knees.
Hill said Cobb waited outside until he realized that Callahan was attacking Hill, then broke the door in with his shoulder to come to Hill’s defense.
Hill acknowledged that he hired Cobb to “bird-dog” Callahan, meaning that Cobb locates bail jumpers and then alerts him to their location.
Hiring convicted felons
Hill said at least five other bail bondsmen hire Cobb regularly as a bounty hunter, despite stern instructions from the McLennan County Bail Bond Board not to hire convicted felons in general and Cobb specifically in that capacity.
Cobb could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
At an Aug. 20, 2002, bail bond board meeting, 54th State District Judge George Allen warned that any bondsman caught hiring Cobb would be subject to a licensing hearing and a sheriff’s office investigation.
“But all of that wouldn’t have happened if (Callahan) had done what he was supposed to do,” Hill said. “We don’t get into fights all that much — maybe one in 1,000. I have had three problems since I have been in this business going back to 1987. I think I’ve got a pretty good record.”
When asked if he was aware that bondsmen had been ordered not to associate with Cobb, Hill said, “kinda, sorta.”
Cobb was convicted of impersonating a peace officer in 1997 and placed on probation.
His probation was later revoked when he continued to work as a bounty hunter against court orders, and he was sent to prison for five years in 2001.
He also has multiple misdemeanor convictions, including evading arrest, unlawful voter assistance and harassment, according to court records.
twitherspoon@wacotrib.com
757-5737
