NEWS
$295 million verdict returned in child sexual abuse case
A Montague County civil jury has returned a $295 million verdict in favor of Hailey Dickerson, now 20, who was sexually abused as a child by Bridgeport resident Max Hahn IV while living on his ranch on Bugscuffle Road outside Bowie.
The verdict is one of the largest in of its kind ever awarded in the United States and believed to be the second largest single-plaintiff sexual abuse verdict ever awarded in the Unite States.
On Oct. 31 the jury, after hearing evidence in a week-long trial, unanimously found Hahn committed assault, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and injury to a child against Dickerson when she was between 8 and 10 years of age.
At the time, Hahn was dating Hailey’s mother, who lived on Hahn’s ranch with her four children.
Dickerson disclosed the abuse to her mother and later to a sexual assault nurse examiner and a trained forensic interviewer at a child advocacy center. Hahn denied the allegations, and his 2018 criminal trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.
Hahn was later re-indicted and pleaded no contest to the charge of injury to a child, receiving a probated sentence.
Dickerson’s attorney, Brian Butcher of the Noteboom Law Firm in Fort Worth, said the evidence of guilt was overwhelming.
“The details Hailey recounted as a tiny and terrified child remained consistent across time and independent evaluations,” Butcher said.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WS 193
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
9:05 PM CDT FRI MAY 8, 2026
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 193 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2:00 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
COLLIN
COOKE
DELTA
DENTON
FANNIN
GRAYSON
HOPKINS
HUNT
JACK
LAMAR
MONTAGUE
WISE
YOUNG
The Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on May 12 in the council chambers.
The agenda opens with a proclamation for Emergency Medical Services Week.
In the city manager’s report, Bert Cunningham will discuss the Rock and Pillar Street project and the Texas Water Development Board grant application.
In new business, Brittany Barnes will be considered as an appointment to the Bowie Community Development Board.
A resolution requesting financial assistance from the TWDB authorizing the filing of an application for assistance will be reviewed.
The master parks plan also will be presented by staff from Public Management.
The consent agenda and public comments round out the meeting.
Members of the Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on May 11.
After the consent agenda and public comments, the court will discuss an interlocal agreement between precinct two and the Bowie Sports Association for the baseball complex.
Precinct three will ask for a line-time budget adjustment of $15,000 from operating expenses to part-time.
The court will open and consider accepting sealed bids for emulsified asphalt and prime oil, all on a 90-day contract.
The consent agenda of minutes, bills and reports also is slated.
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