HOUSTON — A Houston millionaire who is facing criminal and civil charges for a deadly DUI crash in Florida has tongues wagging in both places because of an unusual legal move.
John Goodman has adopted his adult girlfriend, Heather Hutchins, according to court documents.
It’s a case that a Florida judge wrote borders on the surreal and takes the ‘court into a legal twilight zone.’
"I was totally shocked," said longtime Houston society columnist Shelby Hodge. "He’s 47. She’s 42. What’s going on here?"
According to Hodge, the editor-at-large of Culturemap, the River Oaks native is heir to an air conditioning fortune. He grew up in River Oaks and is well-known in the polo scene.
"We are talking millions and millions, maybe not quite the billionaire level, but plenty of money to be very comfortable," Hodge told KHOU 11 News.
Police said two years ago in Florida, Goodman was drunk when he ran a stop sign and crashed his Bentley into a small Hyundai Sonata, pushing it into a canal. The Sonata’s driver, Scott Patrick Wilson, died at the scene. Wilson was a recent college graduate.
The Wilson family is suing Goodman. If Goodman loses, he could be forced to pay them a lot of money.
With the adoption, Goodman’s girlfriend is now entitled to a big piece of the trust fund set aside for his other minor children.
"I will guarantee you it will be challenged. I don’t think it will hold up," said KHOU 11 News Legal Analyst Gerald Treece. "Even if the adoption is valid, that’s not the end of the question. The question is whether or not this vehicle was fraudulently created to avoid judgment creditors."
But Goodman’s attorney defended the action.
"Nothing in this arrangement with Ms. Hutchins is illegal," Daniel Bachi said in a written statement Thursday. "Everything that has been done by Mr. Goodman was done with the intention to preserve and grow the assets of the Trust for his two minor children, even should he personally be unable to continue his historical role in achieving these goals."
Bachi also denied that Goodman would have access to the trust fund money.
"Mr. Goodman cannot have a beneficial interest in the trust nor can he derive financial benefit from the trust," Bachi’s statement said. "The legal adoption of Ms. Hutchins does not change that in any way."
Bachi said the trust was set up by Goodman in 1991 with a $1.5 million donation, but has grown in value to several hundred million since then.
Both Goodman’s criminal and civil cases are set to go to trial in March.
