Husband’s Bombing Scheme Causes Wife to Suffer Severe Injuries

A husband is on trial for the attempted murder of his wife. According to an article in UT San Diego, court proceedings began in El Cajon Superior Court on Tuesday, April 24, 2012. Events leading to this trial transpired on September 23, 2010, when Larry Hoagland’s then-wife, Connie, started the engine in her truck, triggering an explosion. Hoagland had planted a pipe bomb in her truck. He faces three charges related to using an explosive or destructive device in addition to the premeditated murder charge. Remarkably, Connie survived the blast, but she suffered serious injuries. Our San Diego persona injury lawyer recognizes that aside from the criminal charges, Hoagland also potentially faces a civil claim against him stemming from the severe injuries Connie sustained from the horrific incident.

The trial started with Deputy District Attorney Kurt Mechals explaining Hoagland’s motive for trying to kill his then-wife. Hoagland plotted to kill her because he was planning on leaving her to be with his mistress in Pennsylvania. Two weeks prior to the explosion, a pipe bomb was found in the middle of the street, coincidentally about a quarter mile from the Hoagland home. The device was programmed to diffuse remotely by use of a cell phone. Michels introduced evidence that connected Hoagland to the bomb. Hoagland’s wallet contained two pieces of paper that had phone numbers for the prepaid cell phones connected with the bomb written on them.

Furthermore, Hoagland’s computer activity at work reveals YouTube searches on bomb-making. These searches were conducted just weeks before the incident. Michels has also introduced evidence showing that just a few days before the bombing, Hoagland had purchased a part for the bomb at an electronics store. With this crucial evidence linking Hoagland to the bombing, it will be difficult for Thomas Palmer, Hoagland’s lawyer, to convince the jury of Hoagland’s innocence. However, Palmer has made an attempt, although weak, to counter-argue Michels’ assertion of Hoagland’s direct involvement in the incident. The crux of Palmer’s argument is that there are too many inconsistencies in the case, making it unjustifiable to place the guilt on Hoagland. One such inconsistency that Palmer asserts is that the two bombs that Hoagland is accused of building are different. With the weight of the prosecution’s evidence, it is unlikely that Palmer will sway the jurors to support Hoagland.

Since the bombing, Connie underwent seven surgeries. At one point, it was questionable as to whether she would be able to walk again. Fortunately, the recovery process proved to be better than the doubtful outlook. After the surgeries, Connie was able to walk again. Connie will suffer the negative effects of these injuries for the rest of her life. Due to the severity of her injuries, it is highly unlikely that she will ever be able to get back to the physical state that she was in before the incident. Our San Diego personal injury lawyer provides guidance for those like Connie who have been hurt in terrible accidents in taking the necessary steps to receive compensation to help in their recovery.

Although injured parties such as Connie will never enjoy the quality of life that they had prior to the incident, it is important that such individuals understand that they have options in the legal process that can possibly assuage their unfortunate situation. Our experienced San Diego injury attorneys at Walton Law Firm can certainly help protect the legal rights of victims who have suffered injuries in any kind of accident or even intentional misconduct, like this case.

See Related Blog Posts:

Could Oceanside Murder Have Been Prevented?

State Care Facilities Under Fire after Botched Investigation of Suspicious Death