Former bondsman accused of soliciting injury, rape to neighbors

<p>A former bail bondsman was arrested Friday after being accused of soliciting someone to harm two men, including an Augusta attorney, and to rape one of the men's wives.</p><p>Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Columbia County Sheriff's office arrested Danny Lee Savage Sr., of Appling, at about 11:30 a.m. Friday.</p><p>He faces multiple charges, including criminal attempted rape and solicitation of aggravated battery.</p><p>According to the arrest warrant, Savage is accused of attempting to pay someone to harm Billy L. Morris, who lives on the same street as Savage, and Richard Ingram, an attorney who represented Morris in a civil suit against Savage.</p><p>Savage is also charged with attempting to pay someone to rape Morris's wife, Ethel D. Morris.</p><p>Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said the offers were never acted upon and authorities do not believe the intended victims are in any further danger.</p><p>Ingram said that he had been told about the threats weeks ago by authorities.</p><p>"I'm thankful that the FBI did a good job," he said. "When they called me, I just said, 'Y'all make sure to protect me and my family,' and they did. And I'm proud of them."</p><p>Ingram said he represented Morris in a civil suit against Savage after a case in which Morris was charged with making terroristic threats against Savage.</p><p>An indictment on the criminal charge was not granted by the grand jury, allowing Morris to then file suit against Savage.</p><p>A judge ruled in favor of Savage in that case.</p><p>Savage also faces a prior charge of theft by receiving stolen property stemming from a 2004 arrest in which he is accused of having a $22,000 tractor that had been reported stolen from Grovetown's John Deere Commercial Products plant.</p><p>That case was scheduled for court early this week but was postponed.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cdbdd8)</p>