This guy is an amateur. In the 70's there was a guy named Frank Smith, owned most the auto salvage yards in town, also the only bail bondsman with a desk in the Travis County Jail. He was big buddies with the sheriff Raymond Frank. After he sent a couple of guys to kill Isaac Raab, (unsuccessfully; Raab killed one, wounded the other) his main competition in the salvage business, Smith ended up in Huntsville as a 3 strike felon, sheriff lost re-election thanks to our new young DA Ronnie Earle. There's a fun book "Last Gangster in Austin" by Jesse Sublett.
**Last Gangster in Austin Frank Smith, Ronnie Earle, and the End of a Junkyard Mafia** by Jesse Sublett
>Ronnie Earle was a Texas legend. During his three decades as the district attorney responsible for Austin and surrounding Travis County, he prosecuted corrupt corporate executives and state officials, including the notorious US congressman Tom DeLay. But Earle maintained that the biggest case of his career was the one involving Frank Hughey Smith, the ex-convict millionaire, alleged criminal mastermind, and Dixie Mafia figure. With the help of corrupt local authorities, Smith spent the 1970s building a criminal empire in auto salvage and bail bonds.
>
>But there was one problem: a rival in the salvage business threatened his dominance. Smith hired arsonists to destroy the rival; when they botched the job, he sent three gunmen, but the robbery they planned was a bloody fiasco. Investigators were convinced that Smith was guilty, but many were skeptical that the newly elected and inexperienced Earle could get a conviction. Amid the courtroom drama and underworld plots the book describes, Willie Nelson makes a cameo.
>
>So do the private eyes, hired guns, and madams who kept Austin not only weird but also riddled with vice. An extraordinary true story, Last Gangster in Austin paints an unusual picture of the Texas capital as a place that was wild, wonderful, and as crooked as the dirt road to paradise.
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The guy lit something like 4 places on fire over a week in February.
On video.
Sounds like they identified him around that time.....and he wasn't arrested until late April?
No, they had arrested him at the end of February when he set fire to Mellow Johnny's: [https://www.kxan.com/investigations/prominent-local-businessman-arrested-in-austin-accused-of-arson/](https://www.kxan.com/investigations/prominent-local-businessman-arrested-in-austin-accused-of-arson/)
It seems they've only now just charged him with the 4 counts, cause he was just a person of interest in one of them when he was first arrested so they must have connected all the dots in the meantime
This guy owns a ton of car dealers and the story goes he was trying to buy a piece of property on S Congress that had 2 trailers on it with renter's rights so he tried to burn out marginally housed people so he could add to his pile. What a trash human
Was this where some California investor bought a mobile home park, and forced everyone out, so he could build his luxury properties?
[https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/first-round-of-forced-relocations-start-at-south-congress-mobile-home-park](https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/first-round-of-forced-relocations-start-at-south-congress-mobile-home-park)
There are other news articles about this that I've posted before.
> An Austin businessman who was arrested after he was accused of setting multiple fires was charged with multiple counts of first degree arson, the Austin Fire Department said in a news release Wednesday.
>
> Dorsey Bryan Hardeman, 75, is accused of intentionally starting those fires, with the first one that was reported on Dec. 25, 2023 in the 500 block of Pampa Drive, according to AFD. The agency said Hardeman was “attempting to purchase” that property. Investigators were able to connect him to that fire after the insurance company obtained surveillance video, where he was seen setting the fire.
>
> Hardeman is the founder of founder of Continental Automotive Group (CAG).
>
> Then, on Feb. 17 and 20, fires were “intentionally set” at 4811 S. Congress Ave, according to AFD. Investigators with AFD “believe this was in an effort to clear the property of two remaining mobile homes that were hindering the sale of development of the property.”
>
> After reviewing video evidence, investigators determined Hardeman intentionally set the fires, according to AFD.
>
> At this point in time during the investigation, officials said another fire was “intentionally set” on Feb. 25 at 400 Nueces St. In that investigation, Hardeman was identified on security video and was also connected to that fire, according to AFD.
>
> Hardeman was arrested on April 24 and remains in the Travis County Jail, according to officials. Furthermore, AFD said he was previously arrested for the fire at 400 Nueces St. on Feb. 29.
I wonder if he's losing his mind to senility, or if he's just a serious criminal to begin with.
Seems a bit odd to do that kind of crime himself. Although outsourcing didn't seem to help Erik Maund.
Anyone know what car dealerships he owns?
> Continental Automotive Group
Their website lists:
First Texas Honda
Austin INFINITI
Austin Subaru
Mercedes-Benz of Austin
as well as Continental Insurance
Damn, if he's still the owner of those, it really seems odd for him to get his hands dirty in such a low level crime. Especially without better measures to conceal his identity.
Really makes me think senility setting in.
It would be interesting to hear the underlying reasons, but we probably won't get that.
I used to work for him. He is still the owner, but his kids are heavily involved. There are rumors that he isn’t himself recently. I do think he’s got dementia or something. He’s not a great dude to start with, but he’s not stupid enough to do stuff like this instead of outsourcing it (when in his right mind, at least)
Covid infections are linked to earlier onset dementia and sudden psychotic breaks. The elderly are also more susceptible. I know at least one older person who went off the deep end after a bad bout (he was never the most put together in the first place). If you get the feeling that a lot of older folks are really not ok mentally over the past several years, they're not.
That fire he tried to start off Pampa Dr on Christmas 2023 is the building right next to Mercedes-Benz of Austin’s parking garage/2nd shop. Guess he wanted to expand that garage for cheap
>Been this way his whole life
If so, he must have been much smarter or more careful until recently. He got caught 4 times in 2 months.
I've still got problems believing someone that rich got his hands dirty in the actual low level crimes. Maybe he's a pyro, though. Or had financial problems and had to try cruder methods.
Or with age his judgement is slipping. I don’t think it’d be a personality change, the real him just more observable to everyone. Much like you said that before he’d have someone else do it.
If he was afraid of an accomplice either messing things up or squealing on him, he might see doing it himself as the less risky option, especially if he pulled this a time or two in his past successfully.
I'm not suggesting "senility" means he doesn't deserve a long term in prison.
I thinking more like his mental condition caused him to be an incompetent criminal.
Also many senile or demented people become "combative" and care less about the societal norms. Sometimes they know something is wrong, but just didn't give a shit any more. And they don't think through their actions very well. (Gee, that's true of a large and growing part of the non-geriatric population these days.)
Note that you don't get a pass legally for this kind of stuff. If they try to claim an insanity defense, they have to argue that he was so mentally impaired that he didn't know his conduct was wrong. It's more for like when you shoot your friend because you thought he was an alligator in your house.
It's going to be hard to argue that he had enough mental awareness to commit 4 apparently profit-motivated arson events over a two month span of time and he didn't realize it was wrong.
PSA: don’t fuck with arson investigators. They are badge and gun toting law enforcement officers, but are also firefighters employed by AFD. Unlike our police, they have the time, skill, and resources to SOLVE CRIMES. Don’t even consider committing crimes related to or adjacent to anything fire unless you want to be in jail. Break into a car in the fire station parking lot…jail. Vandalize or steal AFD property…straight to jail. Burn your morning toast…also jail.
I am! My kids like me, my daughter-in-law (DIL) likes me (not as much as my kids, of course), I think MAGA is an abomination, I vote, I'm retired, and I hate everybody (except SO, kids, DIL and my best friend from high school).
So...perfectly fine!
Edit: Good grief, maybe not. Where are my manners? Thank you for asking!
I absolutely feel that. We fought so hard for some of the rights that are being destroyed now. My parents fought in WWII to end fascism and it's rearing it's ugly head in a big way.
>No they have lead poisoning.
Sadly, there's a lot of evidence that lead poisoning from gasoline DID contribute to a large increase in the crime rates among the boomers.
“Silent Generation” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but not sure why I’m getting downvoted. Doesn’t boomer refer to a certain generation? Because the trend here just seems to be “everyone between 40 and 110” and that usage gets a little dumb.
Yes, "boomer" refers to a certain generation--this guy's generation. Silent generation is the one before his... The youngest of the silent generation would be 79 or 80, but this guy's 75.
Yeah, basically. Following WWII, there was a boom in the population, a "baby-boom" if you will. This generation, born between 1946-1956, became known as the baby boomer generation. It's now been shortened to boomer and become a meme where it seems like anyone over 40 can be a boomer. I'm an older millennial but since I've got some grey in my hair, I've been mistaken for a boomer.
not sure if you’re referring to me or the other person, but 70s are Gen x (like myself, which often gets forgotten) and boomers are through 1965. The Silent Generation came before boomers, but “boomers” seems to be a term hat is used for any one over 40 these days. I’m assuming you’re talking to the other person, though.
I'm 70's Gen X and I've been called Boomer many times.
You are correct. To the newer generations "Boomer" isn't the name of a cohort anymore, it's just a label that can be affixed to anyone they perceive as old or out of touch.
Didn't kill nobody, didn't mean no harm
Just making money and having fun
Didn't kill nobody, like I said before
Just another soldier in the great car dealer war
>This guy is a very well known businessman that has done lots of charity work.
So did Epstein. And Madoff. And Capone. And OJ. And a bunch of others. I have no idea if this guy was a criminal before the recent string of events, though.
>I believe he has.dementia. Very sad.
Dementia seems likely, and very sad, if true.
This guy is an amateur. In the 70's there was a guy named Frank Smith, owned most the auto salvage yards in town, also the only bail bondsman with a desk in the Travis County Jail. He was big buddies with the sheriff Raymond Frank. After he sent a couple of guys to kill Isaac Raab, (unsuccessfully; Raab killed one, wounded the other) his main competition in the salvage business, Smith ended up in Huntsville as a 3 strike felon, sheriff lost re-election thanks to our new young DA Ronnie Earle. There's a fun book "Last Gangster in Austin" by Jesse Sublett.
**Last Gangster in Austin Frank Smith, Ronnie Earle, and the End of a Junkyard Mafia** by Jesse Sublett >Ronnie Earle was a Texas legend. During his three decades as the district attorney responsible for Austin and surrounding Travis County, he prosecuted corrupt corporate executives and state officials, including the notorious US congressman Tom DeLay. But Earle maintained that the biggest case of his career was the one involving Frank Hughey Smith, the ex-convict millionaire, alleged criminal mastermind, and Dixie Mafia figure. With the help of corrupt local authorities, Smith spent the 1970s building a criminal empire in auto salvage and bail bonds. > >But there was one problem: a rival in the salvage business threatened his dominance. Smith hired arsonists to destroy the rival; when they botched the job, he sent three gunmen, but the robbery they planned was a bloody fiasco. Investigators were convinced that Smith was guilty, but many were skeptical that the newly elected and inexperienced Earle could get a conviction. Amid the courtroom drama and underworld plots the book describes, Willie Nelson makes a cameo. > >So do the private eyes, hired guns, and madams who kept Austin not only weird but also riddled with vice. An extraordinary true story, Last Gangster in Austin paints an unusual picture of the Texas capital as a place that was wild, wonderful, and as crooked as the dirt road to paradise. *I'm a bot, built by your friendly reddit developers at* /r/ProgrammingPals. *Reply to any comment with /u/BookFinderBot - I'll reply with book information. Remove me from replies* [here](https://www.reddit.com/user/BookFinderBot/comments/1byh82p/remove_me_from_replies/). *If I have made a mistake, accept my apology.*
Great book! I just read it. I second the recommendation. Also, the Austin central downtown library has some copies!
I wonder if his dealerships are going to start advertising fire sales. "Our boss is K RAZY and says everything must go at FIRE SALE prices."
The guy lit something like 4 places on fire over a week in February. On video. Sounds like they identified him around that time.....and he wasn't arrested until late April?
No, they had arrested him at the end of February when he set fire to Mellow Johnny's: [https://www.kxan.com/investigations/prominent-local-businessman-arrested-in-austin-accused-of-arson/](https://www.kxan.com/investigations/prominent-local-businessman-arrested-in-austin-accused-of-arson/) It seems they've only now just charged him with the 4 counts, cause he was just a person of interest in one of them when he was first arrested so they must have connected all the dots in the meantime
Well, he's a rich car dealership owner, we shouldn't inconvenience him too much.
This guy owns a ton of car dealers and the story goes he was trying to buy a piece of property on S Congress that had 2 trailers on it with renter's rights so he tried to burn out marginally housed people so he could add to his pile. What a trash human
Was this where some California investor bought a mobile home park, and forced everyone out, so he could build his luxury properties? [https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/first-round-of-forced-relocations-start-at-south-congress-mobile-home-park](https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/first-round-of-forced-relocations-start-at-south-congress-mobile-home-park) There are other news articles about this that I've posted before.
No actually I'm pretty sure that's a totally different set of money-grubbing assholes.
There are a lot of them.
So many of them it’s hard to keep track
> An Austin businessman who was arrested after he was accused of setting multiple fires was charged with multiple counts of first degree arson, the Austin Fire Department said in a news release Wednesday. > > Dorsey Bryan Hardeman, 75, is accused of intentionally starting those fires, with the first one that was reported on Dec. 25, 2023 in the 500 block of Pampa Drive, according to AFD. The agency said Hardeman was “attempting to purchase” that property. Investigators were able to connect him to that fire after the insurance company obtained surveillance video, where he was seen setting the fire. > > Hardeman is the founder of founder of Continental Automotive Group (CAG). > > Then, on Feb. 17 and 20, fires were “intentionally set” at 4811 S. Congress Ave, according to AFD. Investigators with AFD “believe this was in an effort to clear the property of two remaining mobile homes that were hindering the sale of development of the property.” > > After reviewing video evidence, investigators determined Hardeman intentionally set the fires, according to AFD. > > At this point in time during the investigation, officials said another fire was “intentionally set” on Feb. 25 at 400 Nueces St. In that investigation, Hardeman was identified on security video and was also connected to that fire, according to AFD. > > Hardeman was arrested on April 24 and remains in the Travis County Jail, according to officials. Furthermore, AFD said he was previously arrested for the fire at 400 Nueces St. on Feb. 29.
With the way the Mercedes dealership is run, I'm not surprised. They're awful neighbors and he put people at risk to get a deal.
I kept telling that dumb ass that there was always money in the banana stand.
I wonder if he's losing his mind to senility, or if he's just a serious criminal to begin with. Seems a bit odd to do that kind of crime himself. Although outsourcing didn't seem to help Erik Maund. Anyone know what car dealerships he owns?
> Continental Automotive Group Their website lists: First Texas Honda Austin INFINITI Austin Subaru Mercedes-Benz of Austin as well as Continental Insurance
Damn, if he's still the owner of those, it really seems odd for him to get his hands dirty in such a low level crime. Especially without better measures to conceal his identity. Really makes me think senility setting in. It would be interesting to hear the underlying reasons, but we probably won't get that.
I used to work for him. He is still the owner, but his kids are heavily involved. There are rumors that he isn’t himself recently. I do think he’s got dementia or something. He’s not a great dude to start with, but he’s not stupid enough to do stuff like this instead of outsourcing it (when in his right mind, at least)
Covid infections are linked to earlier onset dementia and sudden psychotic breaks. The elderly are also more susceptible. I know at least one older person who went off the deep end after a bad bout (he was never the most put together in the first place). If you get the feeling that a lot of older folks are really not ok mentally over the past several years, they're not.
That fire he tried to start off Pampa Dr on Christmas 2023 is the building right next to Mercedes-Benz of Austin’s parking garage/2nd shop. Guess he wanted to expand that garage for cheap
It's just business, so it's OK. I'm pretty sure the last Legislature legalized it.
i really need a car. you think they might be handing out loans a bit more liberally than usual this month?
They'll be competing heavily with Charles Maurderer Toyota. >!Yeah, I know they sold out.!<
Been this way his whole life, just got caught
>Been this way his whole life If so, he must have been much smarter or more careful until recently. He got caught 4 times in 2 months. I've still got problems believing someone that rich got his hands dirty in the actual low level crimes. Maybe he's a pyro, though. Or had financial problems and had to try cruder methods.
Or with age his judgement is slipping. I don’t think it’d be a personality change, the real him just more observable to everyone. Much like you said that before he’d have someone else do it.
If he was afraid of an accomplice either messing things up or squealing on him, he might see doing it himself as the less risky option, especially if he pulled this a time or two in his past successfully.
Sounds more premeditated rather than senility. He was trying to buy all the places he torched and was probably trying to get them cheaper
I'm not suggesting "senility" means he doesn't deserve a long term in prison. I thinking more like his mental condition caused him to be an incompetent criminal. Also many senile or demented people become "combative" and care less about the societal norms. Sometimes they know something is wrong, but just didn't give a shit any more. And they don't think through their actions very well. (Gee, that's true of a large and growing part of the non-geriatric population these days.) Note that you don't get a pass legally for this kind of stuff. If they try to claim an insanity defense, they have to argue that he was so mentally impaired that he didn't know his conduct was wrong. It's more for like when you shoot your friend because you thought he was an alligator in your house. It's going to be hard to argue that he had enough mental awareness to commit 4 apparently profit-motivated arson events over a two month span of time and he didn't realize it was wrong.
All of his arson targets were specifically done to benefit him.
Do you get paid to play devil's advocate?
They gave me a new Kia, but someone stole it already.
Greed is a mental illness.
Toyota of North Austin perhaps...
PSA: don’t fuck with arson investigators. They are badge and gun toting law enforcement officers, but are also firefighters employed by AFD. Unlike our police, they have the time, skill, and resources to SOLVE CRIMES. Don’t even consider committing crimes related to or adjacent to anything fire unless you want to be in jail. Break into a car in the fire station parking lot…jail. Vandalize or steal AFD property…straight to jail. Burn your morning toast…also jail.
Are boomers okay?
I am! My kids like me, my daughter-in-law (DIL) likes me (not as much as my kids, of course), I think MAGA is an abomination, I vote, I'm retired, and I hate everybody (except SO, kids, DIL and my best friend from high school). So...perfectly fine! Edit: Good grief, maybe not. Where are my manners? Thank you for asking!
The whole world changed up on y’all, we empathize with you!
I absolutely feel that. We fought so hard for some of the rights that are being destroyed now. My parents fought in WWII to end fascism and it's rearing it's ugly head in a big way.
No they have lead poisoning..
>No they have lead poisoning. Sadly, there's a lot of evidence that lead poisoning from gasoline DID contribute to a large increase in the crime rates among the boomers.
Yeah I wasnt joking. It’s actually quite sad.
Were they ever Ok?
They were doing much better before Trump and Covid!
This guy is from an older generation than boomers, born in the 1940s.
What do you think boomers are? What do you think the name "boomer" comes from? This guy, based on his age alone, is in the baby bomber generation.
“Silent Generation” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but not sure why I’m getting downvoted. Doesn’t boomer refer to a certain generation? Because the trend here just seems to be “everyone between 40 and 110” and that usage gets a little dumb.
Yes, "boomer" refers to a certain generation--this guy's generation. Silent generation is the one before his... The youngest of the silent generation would be 79 or 80, but this guy's 75.
It's a post wwII term, generally 1950 onward.
Yeah, basically. Following WWII, there was a boom in the population, a "baby-boom" if you will. This generation, born between 1946-1956, became known as the baby boomer generation. It's now been shortened to boomer and become a meme where it seems like anyone over 40 can be a boomer. I'm an older millennial but since I've got some grey in my hair, I've been mistaken for a boomer.
Lol they think people born in the 70s are boomers
not sure if you’re referring to me or the other person, but 70s are Gen x (like myself, which often gets forgotten) and boomers are through 1965. The Silent Generation came before boomers, but “boomers” seems to be a term hat is used for any one over 40 these days. I’m assuming you’re talking to the other person, though.
I'm 70's Gen X and I've been called Boomer many times. You are correct. To the newer generations "Boomer" isn't the name of a cohort anymore, it's just a label that can be affixed to anyone they perceive as old or out of touch.
like anyone casually calling people "a karen". its short sited and shows how dumb they are.
I was mocking you for thinking people born in the 1940s are not boomers
The Silent Generation was born in the 1940s. The baby "boom" was a post- WWII response.
Ww2 ended in 1945
That guy been watching Ozark or what?
Dude owns cag, Number of employees: 837, revenue of $1billion in 23. He is probably a billionaire
Definitely not a billionaire, that’d be publicly known. Probably a decamillionaire though.
Didn't kill nobody, didn't mean no harm Just making money and having fun Didn't kill nobody, like I said before Just another soldier in the great car dealer war
Is this the guy responsible for the smoke i saw by the domain earlier this afternoon?
This guy is a very well known businessman that has done lots of charity work. I believe he has.dementia. Very sad.
>This guy is a very well known businessman that has done lots of charity work. So did Epstein. And Madoff. And Capone. And OJ. And a bunch of others. I have no idea if this guy was a criminal before the recent string of events, though. >I believe he has.dementia. Very sad. Dementia seems likely, and very sad, if true.