Dearing, GA: Dearing businessman indicted on manslaughter charges

By Billy W. Hobbs

Friday, Aug 6, 2010 3:50 PM
Last updated 4:03 PM
THOMSON - A McDuffie County grand jury has indicted a 51-year-old Dearing businessman on manslaughter charges in the death of an elderly man whom authorities initially thought died from an accidental fall in his home earlier this year.

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The victim was a U.S. Army veteran, who had done two tours of duty in Vietnam.

The two-count indictment was returned against H. Peter Bolia, owner of C&T Auto on the Augusta Highway near Dearing, according to records released Thursday. Bolia was indicted on charges of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter.

He is accused of causing the death of Louie Williford, 65, of 188 South Railroad Street, Dearing on April 2. A bench warrant for Bolia’s arrest was issued by Toombs Judicial Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge Roger W. Dunaway, Jr. after the indictment charges were handed down by grand jurors.

McDuffie County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Al Reeves and Deputy Jared Land took Mr. Bolia into custody at his business about 5:45 p.m. last Thursday. He was taken to the McDuffie County Law Enforcement Center in Thomson.

“When we got there, I told Bolia that this day was coming,” Reeves, noting that Bolia replied, ‘”Yep, I’ve been waiting on you,’”

Reeves, who spearheaded the probe, described the death of Williford as a crime of passion, saying Bolia and Williford’s 34-year-old fiancé, Wendy Hill were having an affair.

“We originally thought this case was accidental,” Reeves said until family members and another person talked with authorities.

Williford, a retired supervisor at the Uniroyal plant in Thomson and a carpenter, received two hematomas to his head following a fall at his home on March 16, Reeves said. One eventually led to Williford’s death, Reeves said.

The victim held a party at his home on the night of March 16. Several family members and friends attended, including Bolia, the investigator explained. At some point during the party, Williford reportedly asked Bolia to leave the party and he did, Reeves said. Bolia is suspected to have returned to Williford’s residence later that night, hoping to talk with Hill.

Williford and Hill were in bed when they heard a noise,” Reeves said. “ Williford left the master bedroom and went into the living room.”

A struggle ensued in the darkened room between Williford and someone else, believed to be Bolia, Hill told the investigator.

“She said she heard a loud bump, as Williford went to the floor,” Reeves said.

Because Williford was injured, Hill called 911, requesting an ambulance. She never asked for deputies, Reeves said.

“He had a closed head wound and refused treatment,” Reeves added.

Instead of getting better, Williford’s condition gradually worsened during the next several hours. Hill ended up calling local emergency medical services personnel to the residence on March 17. Williford, who was unconscious at the time, was taken by ambulance to the emergency room of McDuffie Regional Medical Center in Thomson where he became a patient for a day and a half.

He was airlifted by helicopter to Medical College of Georgia Hospital in Augusta where he stayed several days following emergency surgery.

Williford, who never regained consciousness, was transferred to the Uptown Veterans Administration Hospital in Augusta where he died on April 2.

Williford’s body was exhumed at Savannah Valley Memorial Gardens earlier this summer so that authorities could determine the exact cause of his death.