<p>A man facing criminal charges after an apparent drunk driving accident that decapitated his longtime friend has been released from jail.</p><p>John Kemper Hutcherson, 21, who police say was driving drunk at the time of the accident, thanked his dead friend's family for helping him get out of jail on Tuesday.</p><p>"I want to thank the Brohm family for supporting my release," said Hutcherson, who faces a vehicular homicide charge.</p><p>Police say Hutcherson was driving Aug. 29 when he swerved near a telephone pole support wire, decapitating Francis Daniel Brohm, 23, who was leaning out the truck's window.</p><p>They say Hutcherson then drove 12 miles back to his suburban Atlanta home in Cobb County and slept in his bloody clothes, leaving the headless body in his truck until a neighbor discovered it the next morning.</p><p>Hutcherson's bail was reduced from $100,000 to $50,000 after Brohm's family pleaded with authorities to release him.</p><p>Cobb County District Attorney Pat Head said the new bond is consistent with other vehicular homicide cases.</p><p>"The decision is based on our assessment of whether he is a flight risk, whether he might intimidate witnesses and other factors," Head said Tuesday.</p><p>The bond order prohibits Hutcherson from driving and drinking alcohol and requires him to undergo random alcohol and drug tests.</p><p>Outside the Cobb County Jail on Tuesday, Peggy Hutcherson said she has been living "one day at a time" since her son's arrest.</p><p>"Some days it's been one hour at a time," she said. "And right now, it's five minutes at a time."</p><p>Hutcherson has had four other traffic citations in Cobb County since November 2000.</p><p>Brohm was a passenger in Hutcherson's vehicle in March 2001 when Hutcherson was charged with driving under the influence. Hutcherson, then 17, was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge when the arresting officer did not show up in court.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x2866528)</p>
