Judge cuts bond by nearly $1.9 million for man accused of car crash that injured Sen. Manchin’s wife

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An Alabama judge on Tuesday reduced bail by nearly $1.9 million for a man accused of fleeing police during a car chase and causing a crash last January that killed Gayle Manchin, the wife of the U.S. senator Joe Manchin, and a colleague were injured.

Tradarryl Rishad Boykins, 31, of Birmingham, is charged with two counts of second-degree assault, attempted escape and prohibiting certain persons from possessing a firearm — also a misdemeanor — in connection with the Jan. 29 crash.

District Judge William Bell reduced Boykins’ bond — originally set at more than $2 million — to a total of $135,000, al.com reported. Bond is generally intended to ensure a suspect’s return to court and to protect the community as a whole.

Boykins’ attorneys — Juandalynn Givan and Reginald McDaniel — sought the reduction, telling the judge during a hearing Tuesday that the previous bail amounts were excessive and were only set so high because Manchin is the wife of the Democratic U.S. senator from West Virginia.

Four of the bonds for assault, attempted eluding and persons prohibited from possessing a firearm were initially set at $500,000 each, but were reduced to a total of $75,000.

“It is clear that the bail in this matter was excessive,” Bell said.

Gayle Manchin, 76, is the federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission and was in Birmingham with committee colleague Guy Land for an event involving the economic development partnership of the federal government and 13 state governments.

Just before the crash, Homewood Police Sgt. John Carr said officers had attempted to stop a car in connection with a misdemeanor warrant and a traffic violation. He said a seven-minute police chase wound through the Birmingham suburb and surrounding areas and ended when the fleeing car struck the SUV carrying the two.

Both Gayle Manchin and Land, the committee’s congressional liaison, were injured in the crash. Manchin was a passenger in the SUV driven by Land.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Deborah Danneman asked whether Boykins’ bonds would actually be increased. Danneman said the defendant’s alleged conduct, beginning in December 2023, escalated leading up to the crash that left Manchin with a broken sternum and internal bleeding and Land with eight broken ribs and a broken hand.

“He has continually provided blatant evidence that he will not return to court,” Danneman said of Boykin. “He fled from law enforcement, endangering members of the public.”

Givan responded that Boykins has always shown up for his court proceedings in the past. And she noted that at least a dozen of Boykins’ family members were in court to support him and his pastor.

“He has very strong support from his family,” she said. “We are asking for a reduction in government bonds, which will allow him to be returned to civilization.”

After the hearing, Givan called the judge’s ruling fair.

“If this had been me, or you, or an ordinary citizen, Boykins would have been charged with reckless driving,” she said. “I think because of who the victims were in this case, that bond was excessive, so much so that it became unfair and unconstitutional because it almost convicted him before he had a chance to have a fair trial.”

Boykins has waived his right to a preliminary hearing and the case has been sent to a grand jury for consideration.

Gayle Manchin was sworn in as the 13th federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission in 2021 after being nominated by President Joe Biden. Joe Manchin, a former West Virginia governor who was later elected to the Senate, announced last month that he would not seek re-election.