Wednesday, Nov. 10, a Jefferson County judge approved a bond reduction for a 39-year-old Nederland man accused of driving drunk from Tammy’s Bar in Nederland, striking and killing another patron who was walking home and leaving the victim in a ditch before tampering with the evidence on his truck.
Zachary Ryan Highlander’s bonds for accident involving injury or death and tampering with physical evidence amounted to $650,000, an amount his attorney Langston Adams argued was “oppressively high.” Criminal District Court Judge John Stevens agreed to lower Highlander’s bond to $350,000 for those charges, higher than Adams’ request of $40,000.
Considering his previous felony conviction for aggravated assault in 2008, Highlander faces 5 to 99 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for an enhanced, first-degree charge of accident involving death. Additionally, he could be sentenced for an enhanced, second-degree felony for tampering with physical evidence. That crime could earn Highlander 2 to 20 years in prison. Highlander previously served six years in prison for the aggravated assault charge.
Former Port-Neches-Groves High School football coach Terry Cobb was called to testify on Highlander’s dedication to his 15-year-old son. The defense argued that Highlander wouldn’t be a flight risk and is a responsible father, as evidenced by his track record of being seen at his son’s athletic events. The prosecution revealed Highlander left his son to go drinking out until 2 a.m.
Just before 4 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 26, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) investigators arrived at the scene of the alleged hit-and-run accident which killed 32-year-old Nicole Robinson, according to the indictment.
Through speaking with officers on scene, “it was revealed that Highlander was the driver of the vehicle the night Robinson was killed,” according to officers. Highlander told officers he thought he hit a pothole that night, that he removed his front grill because he was having a mechanic work on the condenser and that he struck a deer, which caused damage to the front of his truck. He also told the officer he doesn’t pay attention to vehicle damage, but he washes it regularly – that’s why he washed it the morning after the crash.
“Highlander’s body language and nervousness during the interviews indicated that he was not being truthful when being interviewed,” officers wrote.