$2,500 bail for suspect in wife's assault; Man indicted in `death-ride' case.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Gary V. Murray

WORCESTER - Bail was set at $2,500 cash yesterday for a Milford man accused of assaulting his estranged wife after allegedly taking her on what she said he called a "death ride" down Interstate 495 from Milford to Rhode Island.

Mystic McCarthy, 37, of Medway, told state police that she and her husband, David P. Bottoms, got into an argument Jan. 9 as he was driving her Ford Explorer on I-495 in Milford after the couple had left Milford District Court. Ms. McCarthy, whose divorce from Mr. Bottoms became final Feb. 20, said the Explorer reached speeds of up to 110 mph after Mr. Bottoms allegedly told her they were going on a "death ride" and that he planned to kill them both.

According to testimony at a dangerousness hearing yesterday in Worcester Superior Court, Ms. McCarthy called her daughter, Krista, on her cell phone, reported that she was "in trouble" and asked her to call state police. Mr. Bottoms, 37, of 123 West Spruce St., Milford, allegedly grabbed the phone out of her hand and threw it out the window.

State Trooper Christopher Fraser testified yesterday that Ms. McCarthy later told him Mr. Bottoms refused to stop and let her out of the vehicle during the ride to Rhode Island, which she said ended when the vehicle got a flat tire on Interstate 295 in Cumberland, R.I.

It was then, Ms. McCarthy told investigators, that Mr. Bottoms allegedly got her in a "headlock," punched her in the face, pulled her hair and pushed her out of the Explorer.

Mr. Bottoms was indicted March 21 by a Worcester County grand jury. At his arraignment six days later in Worcester Superior Court, he pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, assault with intent to rob, threatening to commit a crime, larceny of property valued at less than $250 and driving so as to endanger.

He was held without bail at that time pending yesterday's dangerousness hearing, which was requested by special prosecutor George V. Holland Jr. Mr. Holland, who asked that Mr. Bottoms remain in custody without bail for 90 days, alleged that the defendant posed a danger to Ms. McCarthy and that no conditions of his release could ensure her safety.

Under cross-examination yesterday by Mr. Bottoms' lawyer, Benjamin Brooks, Trooper Fraser said he learned after interviewing Ms. McCarthy on Jan. 9 that she accompanied Mr. Bottoms to Milford District Court that day to help him apply for a restraining order. Mr. Bottoms apparently wanted the restraining order because of an...