A Jefferson County judge has reduced bond for the Birmingham man charged in a car crash that injured the wife of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.

Tradarryl Rishad Boykins, 31, is charged with two counts of second-degree assault, felony attempting to elude, and certain persons forbidden to possess a firearm – also a felony – in connection with the Jan. 29 wreck that happened during a police chase from Homewood to Birmingham.

The crash happened in January during a police chase that started in Homewood and ended with the crash at a north Birmingham intersection.

His more than $2 million bond also included previous charges of discharging a firearm into an unoccupied vehicle.

Boykins attorneys – Juandalynn Givan and Reginald McDaniel – sought the bond reduction, saying that his bond amounts related to the crash was excessive, and only set that high because one of the victims – Gayle Manchin – is the wife of a U.S. senator.

District Judge William Bell, following a Tuesday hearing, reduced Boykins’ bond to a total of $135,000 on all seven charges he is currently facing.

Four of the bonds that were initially set at $500,000 each – for the charges of assault, attempting to elude, and persons forbidden to possess a firearm – were reduced from $2 million to a total of $75,000.

“Clearly, bail was excessive in this matter,’’ Bell said.

Gayle Manchin, 76, is the federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission and was in Birmingham for an event. She and her colleague, Guy Land, both were injured in the crash.

Manchin was a passenger in the SUV driven by Land.

Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Deborah Danneman asked that Boykins’ bonds actually be increased.

In doing so, she chronicled the series of events involving Boykins that started Dec. 10, 2023, when she said Boykins went to the home of his ex-girlfriend – the couple had recently broken up – and shot an SUV when her sister wouldn’t tell him where she was.

He went back on Dec. 13, 2023, and again shot into a different car that was parked very close to her home where her small children live with her.

Shell casings were collected from incidents. Testing showed both casings came from the same gun.

On Jan. 13, 2024, Danneman said, there was a 911 call from Boykins’ ex-girlfriend stating that he has seen her in a car with another man, had turned around and was following them. Dispatchers told her to go to the Homewood Police Department’s parking lot.

“This defendant follows her into the Homewood Police Department parking lot, and it’s there they first encounter him,’’ the prosecutor said.

Officers tried to pull over Boykins, he fled. He was driving 62 mph in a 35-mph zone, Danneman said, and police stopped the chase because traffic was too heavy.

On Jan. 29, 2024, officers saw Boykins again and knew he had outstanding warrants. They again tried to pull him over.

“His recklessness during that time endangered so many people,’’ Danneman said.

The chase traveled along Green Springs Highway at speeds of 80 mph. He was on the wrong side of the road, running red lights and jumping curbs, she said.

The chase continued to Interstate 65 and then exited on 17th Street in Birmingham, still at high speeds.

It was then he struck the vehicle with Manchin and Land inside.

Manchin suffered a broken sternum and internal bleeding. Land sustained eight broken ribs and a broken hand.

Boykins, at the time of the crash, had a 40-caliber pistol on the floorboard, that matched the gun used in the Homewood shooting incident.

“There is a clear escalation of criminal behavior by this defendant over two months,’’ Danneman told the judge.

The bond is to ensure a defendant’s return to court and to protect the community at large.

“He has continuously shown blatant evidence that he will not return to court,’’ Danneman said. “He has fled from law enforcement, endangering members of the public.”

Boykins has prior convictions for robbery and burglary.

Givan responded that Boykins has always shown for his court proceedings in the past, and pointed out that his ex-girlfriend was in the court Tuesday to support Boykins.

“She knows him to be a law-abiding citizen since he’s been back as a productive citizen in our society.”

Givan said at least a dozen family members of Boykins were present in court to support him, as well as his pastor. “He has very strong family support,’’ she said. “We are asking for a bond reduction that would allow him to be placed back out into civilization.”

Boykins’ waived his right to a preliminary hearing and the cases were sent to a grand jury for indictment consideration.

Givan said following the ruling that the judge’s ruling was fair under the circumstance.

“Had this been me or your or any ordinary citizen, (Boykins) would have been charged with reckless driving,’’ she said. “I think because of who the victims were in this case that bond was excessive, so much so that it made it unfair, unconstitutional, because it almost convicted him before he had an opportunity to have a fair trial.”