Couple Responsible for Assault on Producer Dave Brainard Surrenders to Police
The brutal assault against country music producer Dave Brainard that occurred in the early morning hours Sunday, September 27th on Demonbreun Street in Nashville near Music Row, has finally been solved. After over a week of searching for the responsible couple, 30-year-old Dustin Carl Hargrove and Nichole M. Hargrove from Columbia, TN turned themselves into police detectives on Tuesday (10-6) after being confronted by detectives in an unannounced visit, according to the reporting of Nate Rau of The Tennessean.
The description of Dave Brainard’s injuries and assault had many Nashville residents concerned, and shook the country music community. Brainard and two women were crossing the street at a crosswalk near the bar district just before the roundabout on Music Row when when a gray InfinitiĀ struck Brainard’s friend Deborah DeLoach. The car kept hitting the group until the passenger got out of the car and a physical altercation ensued. The male driver eventually exited the vehicle as well, repeatedly punching and choking Brainard until he lay unconscious.
Brainard suffered severe facial injuries in the assault, including a broken jaw and fractured teeth that required reconstructive face surgery. The surgery occurred at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on September 29th. Meanwhile a manhunt for Brainard’s attackers ensued, and the public was asked to notify the police if they had any information about the incident.
Eventually tips to Crimestoppers and the work of Detective Anthony Chandler of the Nashville Metro Police Department led to the Hargrove couple who were in Nashville for a wedding at the Country Music Hall of Fame September 26th. Both Carl and Nichole Hargrove have been charged with misdemeanor assault, and Carl Hargrove has been charged with felony assault. Dustin Hargroveās bond is set at $7,500 and Nichole Hargroveās is set at $1,000.
Dave Brainard is a well-known and well-respected producer in Nashville, best known recently for producing Brandy Clark’s Grammy-nominated album 12 Stories. Dave also produced Jamey Johnson’s They Call Me Country from 2002, Ray Scott’s 2012 and 2014 records, as well as multiple albums from Jerrod Niemann.
October 6, 2015 @ 10:10 pm
Thanks for putting this story out. I’m very interested in hearing what the motive was. This kind of reporting is what really sets you apart!
October 7, 2015 @ 5:56 am
What a bizarre, nightmarish story. The bail seems low given the maliciousness of the attack.
October 7, 2015 @ 8:26 am
I think there’s some parts to this story that have yet to come out. I think motive, or what instigated this attack is where the case will hinge.
October 7, 2015 @ 6:39 am
I wanted to make a joke about how the attack was revenge for Jerrod Niemann, but after reading the article all I can say is that the level of violence described in the attack is beyond unforgivable.
October 7, 2015 @ 7:13 am
this case has been mind boggling since the minute the story came out. What would provoke someone to be so vicious? They definitely deserve the maximum sentence and to serve every minute of it.
October 7, 2015 @ 7:24 am
This is from Dustin Hargrove’s page at his employer Wiremaster:
“God and family are the most important things in Dustin’s life.”
No further comment needed.
October 7, 2015 @ 8:22 am
That’s the same self-description used by a large percentage of the people on Twitter/Facebook who threaten or cuss out pro athletes, celebrities, and pretty much any woman. Usually complete with a family portrait avatar.
October 7, 2015 @ 8:28 am
Are you saying moral superiority tends to mask anger issues? š
October 7, 2015 @ 8:02 am
Probably drunk after the wedding.
October 7, 2015 @ 12:52 pm
Yep. That’s what I’m betting on.
October 8, 2015 @ 7:43 am
I would say yes to that if it hadn’t been so violent. The guy was out of control, so I bet he has a history of scary anger issues hidden somewhere. Not certain what the woman’s excuse wild be for pounding on someone while her husband is kneeling on the victim’s chest so she can get her licks in.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:02 am
He’ll probably get probation and community service if it’s a first offense. Would there be an additional punishment for fleeing?
What could motive be that would make a difference? Someone gave him the finger or called his wife a bitch? Self defense would seem a stretch given the brutality and it doesn’t seem that they had injuries. They both look like angels on their work sites and they have a small child. Sad. You never know about those sitting next to you.
The odd thing about this story is that there was a third person with the 2 who were injured. And other than that piece of info, nothing else was mentioned about her.
October 8, 2015 @ 7:57 am
I’d like to know more details. I think the Brits have it correct when it comes to confrontations involving pedestrians or bicyclists and motor vehicles…
October 8, 2015 @ 3:04 pm
Nate Rau of The Tennessean spoke to defense attorney David Raybin about why the bond was so low, and it gives some great insight. You might remember Raybin as the defense attorney in the Wayne Mills murder trial.
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2015/10/08/raybin-bond-appropriate-brainard-case/73601686/
October 12, 2015 @ 9:06 am
DeLoach & Brainard were probably drinking, any chance they started yelling at this guy because he didn’t see them in the crosswalk? Any chance, she stood in front of the car and yelled at the driver which is why he kept pumping the brakes, like “get out of the way”. This one sided story is so flawed there is no way DeLoach & Brainard weren’t partially responsible but you have to love the way they’re spinning it. The fact that they were probably out drinking and on their way to another bar will come out soon enough. Even the interviews with the two of them change each time. Stop playing the victim you two and tell us what really happened.