Judge agrees to reduce bail for man accused of killing three

Kim Smith

Wednesday, June 6, 2001 | 2:35 a.m.

A Clark County District judge agreed Wednesday to drastically slash the bail of a Las Vegas man accused of killing three people in a car accident and then fleeing the scene.

District Judge Joseph Bonaventure reduced Mitchell Dettloff's bail from $2.2 million to $500,000 after a two-hour hearing Wednesday.

The judge noted that although he questions the character of a man who would leave a fatal accident scene, bail should not be used to punish a defendant before trial.

Dettloff, 35, was indicted May 8 on four counts each of leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving and three counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors allege Dettloff lost control of his vehicle while driving on Interstate 15 April 22 and it forced a pickup truck carrying the Barton family to strike another vehicle head-on.

Benjamin Barton, 8, was killed along with his mother, Holly Barton, 33, and the driver of the other vehicle, Brian Cooper, 30. James Barton, 32, was critically injured and remains bedridden at this time.

Dettloff was arrested three days after the accident while staying at the Rio hotel-casino in a room rented by his fiancee.