Hutto Home Depot 'unprovoked', 'random' hatchet attack leads to arrest; victim speaks out

HUTTO, Texas - An Austin man has been arrested for allegedly critically injuring a 79-year-old man in an "unprovoked and random" hatchet attack at a Hutto Home Depot last week.

41-year-old John Doyle Bauer has been charged with second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The victim in the attack has spoken out.

What happened at the Hutto Home Depot?

Timeline:

Hutto police say that at around 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, officers responded to the Home Depot in the 600 block of W. US 79 about an aggravated assault in progress. 

Police learned that a man had attacked another inside the store with a hatchet. A Hutto police detective described a "large amount of blood" on the floor just in front of customer service in an arrest affidavit for Bauer.

The 79-year-old victim was taken to Seton Williamson County by EMS with injuries to both of his arms and head; the affidavit says he possibly had both arms broken in the attack and a serious injury to his head.

The affidavit also states that the suspect, identified by police as Bauer, had fled the scene in a white Toyota. He was described as a white male with a beard wearing sunglasses and a gardening-style hat. 

Investigators have so far found no known association between Bauer and the victim, leading police to believe this was an "unprovoked and random attack".

The attack

The backstory:

The arrest affidavit details what police saw on surveillance video from the Home Depot.

The affidavit says that the video shows Bauer entering the parking lot in the white Toyota and waiting by his vehicle. The victim then arrived in his gray SUV and walked into the store. Bauer is then seen walking towards the victim, not in a direct route to the entrance. 

Bauer is seen following the victim into the store and watching him, before picking up a hatchet from a store rack and approaching the victim at customer service. 

The video then allegedly shows Bauer striking the victim with the hatchet multiple times, causing him to fall to the floor. Bauer then dropped the hatchet, left the store and fled the scene in the Toyota.

Bauer was found about 3.5 miles north near the intersection of County Road 119 and Chandler Road by Hutto officers. When he was apprehended, Bauer allegedly asked officers if the victim was dead and said he hoped he was. Detectives say in the affidavit that Bauer repeated this in an interview before saying he did not want to talk to detectives and just wanted to go to jail.

Victim speaks out

Local perspective:

The victim, Manuel Vera, said he noticed Bauer looking at him in the parking lot before the attack happened, but noted the two had never met or interacted before.

"I saw the guy, he was looking at me as though he was angry or mad at me," Vera said. "I didn't pay much attention to it. And I turned to go and do the shopping I had intended to do, and that's when it happened."

Vera suffered severe injuries, including head lacerations, a skull fracture, and multiple fractures to his arm and fingers. He was transported to Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital for emergency treatment and was discharged Sunday night to continue his recovery at home.

"He didn't just take one swing, he took multiple swings at me," Vera said. "When I was aware of what was going on, I was on the ground bleeding."

Vera’s family said the attack came as a complete shock.

"When we got the call, the first thing for us was, is somebody joking, right?" said Larry Hopper, Vera's son. "You get that call, you never really expect it to be true. Because why? Why would somebody attack you with an ax in Home Depot?"

How to help the victim

Vera, who is retired and on a fixed income, is facing significant medical and rehabilitation expenses. His family has established a GoFundMe page to help cover his medical costs and recovery care.

If you would like to donate, you can click the link below.

What's next:

Bauer was booked into the Williamson County Jail within about one hour of the initial incident and has been there since Aug. 14.

Bond has been set at $750,000 and Bauer has a court date set for Sept. 3.

Hutto police say this is an open and active investigation.

Crime and Public SafetyHutto