Court revokes earlier bail for ousted legislator Brooks

Someone could end up dead if ousted Nevada lawmaker Steven Brooks gets out of jail, a Las Vegas judge said Wednesday.

Disturbed by the former assemblyman’s actions during a run-in with California authorities last week, Justice of the Peace Melanie Tobiasson revoked his $4,000 bail in an unrelated Las Vegas case.

The judge said she was “extremely concerned” about Brooks harming others given his actions in California, where police said he led them on a high-speed highway chase, kicked an officer and hit a police dog with a socket wrench.

“I truly believe his behavior is escalating and spiraling to a point that somebody is going to wind up dead at the hands of this man,” Tobiasson said.

The judge’s ruling means that even if Brooks posts his $100,000 bail in the Golden State, he would remain in custody and be returned to Clark County.

Brooks’ lawyer, Mitch Posin, opposed changing the bail status because it might interfere with arrangements being made in California to get Brooks a psychological evaluation. Posin said Brooks’ family has also arranged for him to go to a psychiatric facility.

But Tobiasson doubted his family could force Brooks to seek help. A status check was set for April 10 in the case.

Brooks was arrested by Barstow police March 28 — the same day the Assembly expelled him — after a chase on Interstate 15. The incident began when he refused to pay a tow truck driver after his SUV got a flat tire near the Lenwood Road exit, police said. During the chase, police said, Brooks threw several items from the SUV, including a handgun.

Brooks was charged with four counts, including felony resisting an officer by means of force or threats of violence and assaulting a police dog, a misdemeanor. He is being held in a San Bernardino County jail.

During a video conference hearing Tuesday in a Barstow court, Brooks had visible wounds on his face and arms from the altercation with officers. Police tackled, punched and used a Taser gun on Brooks to subdue him in the roadside tussle.

It was his third arrest this year.

Trouble began for Brooks on Jan. 19 when he was arrested on allegations he threatened Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick over committee assignments. The Nevada attorney general’s office is reviewing the matter.

He was again arrested Feb. 10 and charged with attacking his estranged wife and grabbing at an officer’s gun when he was being taken into custody. Brooks posted $4,000 bail in that case, which Tobiasson revoked Monday.

A few days after his Jan. 19 arrest, Brooks was hospitalized for a mental evaluation after a disturbance at his grandmother’s house involving a sword.

Meanwhile, the Clark County Commission on Tuesday began accepting applications for Brooks’ former Assembly seat.

Registered Democrats in the North Las Vegas district have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to apply.

Commissioners plan to pick the replacement at their April 16 meeting. The new Assembly member will serve the rest of the legislative session, which will have nearly seven weeks remaining before expected adjournment on June 3.

As of late Wednesday, no one had applied.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@review journal.com or 702-380-1039.