Bail hearing set for man accused of causing crash

Kim Smith

Monday, May 15, 2000 | 11:16 a.m.

A 24-year-old Las Vegas man accused of causing an accident that killed three people and left a newborn baby struggling for his life will have the chance to argue for his release on bail Friday.

Justice of the Peace Jennifer Togliatti scheduled Michael Owen Pickett's bail hearing after he made his initial appearance in court this morning.

The judge also gave the Clark County District Attorney's Office 10 days to file its criminal complaint against Pickett.

According to police, Pickett rear-ended a car occupied by Mary Lynn Sargent, 46, James Burton Hendren, 59, and Michelle Jamieson, 22, Wednesday night as they were waiting for a light to turn green at Main Street and Washington Avenue.

The impact of the high-speed crash forced the car forward 215 feet and through the intersection.

Sargent and Hendren died at the scene and Jamieson died Thursday, hours after doctors performed an emergency Caesarean section and delivered her son, Julius.

Julius Jamieson was listed in critical condition this morning, and police have said the baby suffers from brain damage and kidney problems.

Services for Sargent, a native Las Vegan, Circus Circus hotel-casino cashier and mother of five, and Jamieson, a native Las Vegan, Luxor hotel-casino bus woman and mother of two, will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Bunker Chapel. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Although prosecutors usually have five days to file criminal complaints, Togliatti gave Deputy District Attorney Bruce Nelson five additional days after he explained he is waiting on autopsy reports, medical reports on the baby and the results of three blood tests performed on Pickett.

Nelson said breath tests at the scene indicated Pickett had a blood alcohol content of 0.18 and 0.19, nearly twice the legal limit. Because narcotics paraphernalia were found in Pickett's truck, Nelson said they are also testing for drugs in his system.

Togliatti appointed the public defender to handle Pickett's case.

Kim Smith covers courts for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-2321 or by e-mail at kimberly@lasvegassun.com.