A local bondsman has been suspended indefinitely from writing bonds in Douglas County, based in part on the mistaken arrest of a Lawrence man this summer.

According to Judge Robert Fairchild, chief judge of Douglas County District Court, the services of A-1 Bonding, owned by Jim Price, were suspended on Oct. 19.

“It was based on some historical problems, with this being the final straw,” Fairchild wrote in an e-mail to the Journal-World.

Lawrence resident Robert D. Davis II, 28, was arrested Aug. 30 at his home at Gaslight Village mobile-home park, 1900 W. 31st St., by armed bounty hunters working for Price.

Davis spent the night in jail before a judge realized there was a mistake: He wasn’t wanted. He happened to have the same name as another man Price was looking for – but who was dead.

Asked to elaborate on what led to the decision to suspend Price, Fairchild wrote, “There were problems with incorrect and conflicting addresses being furnished to the court on several different occasions. There were other complaints which were not verified.”

Price attributed the mistaken arrest in part to serious health problems he’s had recently. He said he was planning to write to the court and try to get the matter straightened out.

He said of the suspension, “There’s no basis for it.”

Bondsmen typically charge a 10 percent, one-time fee to post a bond to get someone out of jail. If the person later fails to appear at a court date, the bond can be forfeited and the bondsman owes the entire amount of the bond to the court.