Scott Bartow charged with DUI after causing chain reaction crash that killed Detrick Jones
BEAR, DEL. — Scott Charles Bartow, who has been charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol was the cause of a fatal wreck that killed a New Castle resident on April 11, 2016, according to the Delaware State Police.
This fatal crash wasn’t the first case of highway mayhem in which Scott Charles Bartow has been involved.
On Christmas Day of 2011, Bartow was in a wreck in Cecil County, Md., according to court records, that resulted in charges being brought by Maryland State Police Senior Trooper James Holloway. The charges were heard in Cecil County Circuit Court where a plea deal was worked out between Cecil County States Attorney Edward Rollins III, and his son, C. Evan Rollins, the attorney for Bartow. The charges included failing to render aid to a person injured in a crash, failing to report bodily injury, hit and run, failing to return to a crash where injuries took place, negligent driving, failing to control speed to avoid a crash and failure to yield the right of way. The deal made between Bartow’s attorney and his daddy, the States attorney was agreed to on March 1, 2012, and provided no jail time and a fine of $250 and a Probation Before Judgement. Bartow was put on probation for one year. There was no record of Cecil County States Attorney Rollins requesting a Special Prosecutor when his son was hired as Bartow’s attorney.
The initial investigation determined that the crash occurred on Monday, April 11, 2016, at approximately 7:47 p.m., as Scott Bartow, 50, of 1044 Irishtown Road, Northeast, Md., was operating a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado and was traveling in the left-hand lane of DE Rt. 273 (Christiana Road) approaching the SR 1 on-ramp in Bear. As Bartow approached the intersection he noticed a disabled vehicle in the left-hand lane directly in front of him and sharply applied his brakes which caused the Silverado to swerve. Bartow then turned his vehicle to the left, crossed the center median, and continued to travel across the two left-hand turn lanes of westbound Rt. 273. He then entered the center lane where the front of his vehicle struck the left side of a 2000 Nissan Altima, which was traveling in a westbound direction on Rt. 273, and which was being operated by Detrick C. Jones, 24, of New Castle, DE.
Police say that the force of the impact pushed the Altima into the right-hand lane of westbound Rt. 273 where its right rear side then struck the left rear side of a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt, which was also traveling on westbound Rt. 273, and which was being operated by Victoria Vickers, 20, of Smyrna, DE.
Detrick Jones, who was properly restrained at the time of the crash, was treated at the scene by New Castle County Paramedics. He was then removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center, where he was admitted with serious injuries. Jones was pronounced dead at the hospital on Tuesday, April 19, 2016.
A 22-year-old female passenger in Jones’ vehicle was also transported to the Christiana Hospital where she was treated and released.
Victoria Vickers, who was also properly restrained at the time of the crash, was not injured.
Delaware State Police report that Scott Bartow was properly restrained at the time of the crash and was uninjured. He was arrested and charged by troopers with Vehicular Assault 2nd Degree, Careless Driving, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, and No Proof of Motor Vehicle Insurance. He was arraigned at JP Court 11 and released on $3100.00 unsecured bail.
This crash remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit.