HUTTO — A 41-year-old Austin resident is behind bars after police say he attacked an elderly man with a hatchet inside The Home Depot in an “unprovoked” and “random” incident.
Hutto police responded to the store in the 600 block of West U.S. 79 around 5 p.m. Aug. 14 after receiving a report of an aggravated assault in progress.
A suspect was taken into custody about an hour after the incident, investigators said.
John Doyle Bauer remained in the Williamson County Jail in Georgetown Tuesday charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Bond is set at $750,000.
Police said the victim — who was not identified by authorities — was set upon by a hatchet-wielding assailant who fled the store after the assault.
Various reports put the wounded man’s age at 78 or 79.
Officers found the victim inside the store with critical but non-life-threatening injuries, according to a social-media post from Hutto officers.
He was treated at the scene before being taken to a hospital by Williamson County Emergency Medical Services.
With help from the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, police located a suspect near CR 119 and Chandler Road, about 3.5 miles north of The Home Depot.
Police said investigators have not found any known connection between the attacker and the victim, and officers said the assault appears to be unprovoked and random.
Hutto police said the response involved officers from its patrol, criminal investigations, special investigations and victim assistance divisions, along with the Sheriff's Office, Williamson County EMS, Hutto Fire Rescue and Home Depot loss prevention personnel.
The Police Department also consulted with the Williamson County District Attorney’s Office on the filing of the charge, according to officers.
