(After Jeff Henry, Schlitterbahn co-owner, was arrested at South Padre Island and extradited to Kansas to face murder charges after a 10-year-old boy was killed in a water ride he designed, stories began to appear in the media about his criminal past. Henry was placed on a $50,000 bond upon his arrival in Kansas. Below is the San Antonio Express story about his legal troubles.)
San Antonio Express News
"...Schlitterbahn Co-owner Jeff Henry has a history of drug arrests and domestic violence accusations.
Henry has had an atypical education for a water park executive and ride designer. A 2015 Texas Monthly article described him as a "self-taught savant of water park design."
Henry has had an atypical education for a water park executive and ride designer. A 2015 Texas Monthly article described him as a "self-taught savant of water park design."
He has no formal training, having dropped out of high school to work for his father as a teenager, prosecutors say.Jeff Henry's estranged wife has described him in divorce proceedings as an abusive alcoholic with a bad drug habit.
Multiple arrests
He's been arrested at least twice on drug violations dating back to 1994 when he was charged in Guadalupe County with possessing between 4 ounces and 5 pounds of marijuana, public records indicate. Jeff and then-wife Mary Henry were caught with nearly 17 ounces of pot, a revolver, a derringer and more than $7,000 in cash, divorce court records state.
He pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony, was placed on three years deferred adjudication probation and fined $10,000, court records show. The state agreed to drop a companion charge against his wife.
The court terminated Jeff Henry's probation after only 16 months, records show, after his lawyer successfully argued it stigmatized his business dealings.
He's been arrested at least twice on drug violations dating back to 1994 when he was charged in Guadalupe County with possessing between 4 ounces and 5 pounds of marijuana, public records indicate. Jeff and then-wife Mary Henry were caught with nearly 17 ounces of pot, a revolver, a derringer and more than $7,000 in cash, divorce court records state.
He pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony, was placed on three years deferred adjudication probation and fined $10,000, court records show. The state agreed to drop a companion charge against his wife.
The court terminated Jeff Henry's probation after only 16 months, records show, after his lawyer successfully argued it stigmatized his business dealings.
"His consultations with some of his potential customers in planning, designing and building various theme and water parks are restricted and impaired somewhat by the fact of his being, in effect, under 'the shadow' of his deferred adjudication," his attorney, Charles D. Butts, wrote at the time.
He was arrested on drug charges again in 2007 and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for possessing between 2 and 4 ounces of marijuana. He was fined $4,000, court files show.
'Horrific assaults'
Mary and Jeff Henry were divorced in early 1996, Comal County records state. Divorce proceedings are pending there between Henry and Louise Settree, who were married in June 2007, court records show.
The divorce case initiated by Jeff Henry in May 2013 has been consolidated with a lawsuit filed three months later by Settree against him and his businesses over alleged domestic abuse.
"On multiple occasions throughout their marriage ... Jeff Henry assaulted, battered, beat and tormented plaintiff," her suit claims, alleging many of the assaults were sexual in nature and occurred in the presence of her minor child.
The suit also claims Henry threatened to kill her, falsely imprisoned her, rammed his company vehicle into hers and threw a concrete pedestal through her bedroom door during an Aug. 29, 2013 incident that prompted a call to 911.
Settree said Jeff Henry's use of alcohol and drugs contributed to the "horrorific (sic) assaults," the suit claims he "has had in the past serious mental, psychological, psychiatric, anger management and emotional problems long standing in nature."
Settree's suit also claims Schlitterbahn was negligent in entrusting motor vehicles to Henry "who was a careless, incompetent, wreckless (sic), intoxicated and drug-impaired driver."
He was arrested on drug charges again in 2007 and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for possessing between 2 and 4 ounces of marijuana. He was fined $4,000, court files show.
'Horrific assaults'
Mary and Jeff Henry were divorced in early 1996, Comal County records state. Divorce proceedings are pending there between Henry and Louise Settree, who were married in June 2007, court records show.
The divorce case initiated by Jeff Henry in May 2013 has been consolidated with a lawsuit filed three months later by Settree against him and his businesses over alleged domestic abuse.
"On multiple occasions throughout their marriage ... Jeff Henry assaulted, battered, beat and tormented plaintiff," her suit claims, alleging many of the assaults were sexual in nature and occurred in the presence of her minor child.
The suit also claims Henry threatened to kill her, falsely imprisoned her, rammed his company vehicle into hers and threw a concrete pedestal through her bedroom door during an Aug. 29, 2013 incident that prompted a call to 911.
Settree said Jeff Henry's use of alcohol and drugs contributed to the "horrorific (sic) assaults," the suit claims he "has had in the past serious mental, psychological, psychiatric, anger management and emotional problems long standing in nature."
Settree's suit also claims Schlitterbahn was negligent in entrusting motor vehicles to Henry "who was a careless, incompetent, wreckless (sic), intoxicated and drug-impaired driver."
Stephen Orsinger, Jeff Henry's divorce lawyer, said those types of allegations "aren't unusual in divorces ... All of the allegations made by Ms Settree have all been denied."
The court issued a final decree of divorce last November after Jeff Henry failed to appear at the scheduled trial, but his attorney successfully petitioned the court to vacate that order in January and to reset the case for trial.
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3 comments:
At the island, he is known as a drunk dirty birdy that's swinging both ways.
Any fool could just look at the amusement ride and simple elementary science tells you that it was an accident looking for a place to happen. Who in their right mind would let a 10 year old get on this ride by himself. Where were the parents? Where were the inspectors of the ride? Where were the adults?
There is a wife he married in 1997 that no one talks about
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