The Fort Jackson recruit accused of hijacking a faculty bus full of youngsters with an empty rifle has indicated he intends to claim he’s “not responsible by purpose of madness,” in accordance with paperwork filed within the Richland County Court docket.
An order requiring that Jovan Collazo undergo an analysis of his “felony accountability and capability” was filed within the Richland Circuit Court docket on Sept. 27. The order requires that Collazo, who fled Army fundamental coaching at Fort Jackson in Could 2021, be evaluated by the state Division of Psychological Well being inside 60 days.
Circuit Decide Debra McCaslin issued the order with the consent of each the protection and the prosecution “after protection counsel has indicated the intent to claim the protection of not responsible by purpose of madness.”
Collazo, 24, has been charged with nineteen counts of kidnapping in addition to armed theft, carjacking, pointing a firearm, carrying a weapon on faculty property and possession of a weapon throughout a violent crime, in accordance with courtroom information.
In South Carolina, the protection is answerable for proving to a jury that Collazo isn’t responsible by purpose of madness. If Collazo is discovered legally insane, he wouldn’t be incarcerated in a state jail. As an alternative, he could be confined for “care and remedy,” in accordance with South Carolina regulation.
The fifth Circuit Solicitors Workplace, which is prosecuting the case, mentioned its coverage is to not touch upon ongoing prosecutions.
Following his arrest, Collazo allegedly tried to flee from the Richland County jail. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott mentioned Collazo assaulted a guard earlier than breaking his leg within the escape try.
However Collazo’s legal professional, fifth Circuit chief public defender Fielding Pringle, characterised it as a determined act by a troubled man on suicide watch.
“People who find themselves pondering clearly and usually don’t run round jail dorms utterly bare with their arms cuffed behind their again working into locked metal doorways and leaping from the second tier to the ground beneath,” Pringle mentioned, on the time.
“These should not the actions of a wholesome and clear-minded particular person who’s making an attempt to flee. They’re the actions of a really troubled younger man who was on suicide watch on the time,” Pringle mentioned.
The State was not in a position to attain Pringle for this story.
Collazo fled fundamental coaching at Fort Jackson on the morning of Could 7, 2021. After hopping the perimeter fence of the nation’s largest Army fundamental coaching facility, Collazo tried to hitch rides from passing vehicles on Interstate 77. Armed together with his unloaded rifle, Collazo then hijacked the college bus, Lott mentioned on the time.
Authorities say that Collazo ordered the bus driver to take him to the subsequent city. However he bought annoyed when the kids started asking him questions, and he instructed the bus driver to cease after touring about 3.5 miles. He ordered the kids and driver off the bus after which drove a couple of extra miles earlier than being arrested by sheriff’s deputies.
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