A man charged with multiple violent offenses was ordered to undergo restorative treatment last week after he was found incompetent to stand trial.
Trae A. Kiss, 23, of North Lewisburg, was indicted this month on two counts of obstructing official business and one count each of menacing, possession of heroin, possessing drug abuse instruments, illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, domestic violence, felonious assault, disrupting public services and assault.
A motion for a psychiatric evaluation to determine if Kiss is competent to stand trial was filed by his attorney, Christopher Bucci, on Jan. 8. Court documents state the court received a copy of Kiss’ competency evaluation on Jan. 15 and elected to hold a competency hearing last Thursday at the Tri-County Regional Jail, Mechanicsburg.
A journal entry on the hearing states the court discussed the competency evaluation, finding to a reasonable degree of psychological certainty that “although Mr. Kiss’ refusal to participate in the court-ordered competency to stand trial evaluation may be the result of a serious mental illness, it is also possible that his uncooperativeness may simply be the result of oppositional and defiant behaviors.”
The evaluator found Kiss to be incompetent to stand trial but could be restored to competency to stand trial within the statutory time limits if provided with psychiatric hospitalization or treatment and competency restoration training.
The court ordered Kiss to be committed to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services with placement at Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare Facility, Columbus, for purposes of competency restoration.
Based on the most serious level of offenses charged, the court ordered Kiss shall not be required to undergo treatment, including any continuing evaluation and treatment, for longer than one year after arriving at the facility.
The charges against Kiss stem from alleged conduct between Dec. 16 and 18, 2015.
A court statement filed in the Champaign County Municipal Court states on December 16, 2015, Champaign County sheriff deputies responded to a Rush Township residence in reference to an unwanted guest. A resident told deputies she noticed Kiss standing in her driveway leaning against a vehicle yelling “I’m going to kill you son of a (expletive).”
Kiss reportedly started running down an alley once 911 was called. When law enforcement spoke with him at his residence, they noticed Kiss was not acting normal. Kiss admitted he was on heroin and while deputies spoke with him he started singing songs and talking about riding a snowman.
When asked how he arrived at the Rush Township residence, Kiss said he was never there before saying he drove a vehicle there. Deputies noticed all the vehicles had frost on them to which Kiss responded he did not drive a vehicle but he drove a snowman over to the residence.
After medical assistance responded to the residence, Kiss fled from one cruiser before he was apprehended a block away. Drug related items were also found in his residence.
Two days later, deputies responded to the 100 block of North Sycamore Street in North Lewisburg on a report of an assault that had taken place. The victim stated while he was walking to a bank, he noticed someone running up behind him.
The victim stated he was tackled to the ground and struck in the back of the head and neck area by Kiss’ forearm. As he was held on the ground Kiss advised him “you should not have broken the rules.”
On the same date, deputies responded to an assault that took place at Kiss’ residence. A resident of the same residence stated she got in an argument with Kiss and was struck in the face.
When she tried to call 911, Kiss allegedly took away the telephone and disabled it. The victim was struck two more times in the face and nose before she ran from the residence.
Kiss’ case was placed on the inactive docket pending his restoration.
