Bond set for former Ohio State football player charged in fatal Dublin crash
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A former Ohio State offensive lineman charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after a crash in Dublin on Saturday morning made his first court appearance on Monday.
Kirk Barton, 40, was arraigned Monday morning in Franklin County Municipal Court, receiving a $500,000 cash surety bond. The ex-Buckeye football player cannot operate a vehicle or leave central Ohio. Barton's passport will be in the defense attorney's possession.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 1. Barton, of Lewis Center, is suspected of driving a Ford F150 Raptor pickup truck “at a high rate of speed” eastbound on U.S. 33 before entering Historic Dublin just before 3 a.m. He then struck a Lexus on West Bridge Street, just west of Franklin Street, according to the City of Dublin.
Court documents show Barton was allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road before the crash. After the crash, police said he had slurred speech, as well as an odor of alcohol from his breath.
Barton reportedly couldn’t answer basic questions and admitted to drinking alcohol before the crash, according to court documents.
The driver of the Lexus, 24-year-old Ethan Perry, was pronounced dead at the scene. Barton sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was later released from a local hospital into police custody.
Barton played for the Buckeyes from 2003 to 2007 and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. His professional career spanned only three years for seven different teams, playing in just one NFL regular season game.