Man Found Not Guilty by Insanity in Compact Track Loader Crash Spree
His lawyer argued he was suffering from a mental illness and medicine side effects and was sleep deprived after long hours clearing...
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A compact track loader operator who slammed into multiple vehicles in Lincoln, Nebraska, has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The incident occurred January 14 when the 36-year-old man had hauled a Bobcat loader to a convenience store. The CTL, truck and trailer were owned by his employer.
The man got in the loader and hit several vehicles at the convenience store and an adjacent parking lot before driving the loader one-third of a mile to a nearby Home Depot, where he hit several more vehicles.
He rammed the loader into a responding police car, which had an officer inside. The officer pulled his gun but did not fire it during the arrest. The man damaged street signs, an ATM, two sheds and the entrance of a liquor store. One man inside a vehicle that was struck suffered minor injuries. Damages were estimated at about $100,000.
He was charged with seven counts, including assault and criminal mischief.
At a hearing last month, a Lancaster County judge ruled he was not guilty by reason of insanity. His defense lawyer argued that the man, who has a mental illness, had worked long hours clearing snow and was suffering from sleep deprivation and the effects of prescription medication.
About 12 hours before the incident he had been taken by ambulance to the hospital but was released two hours later. His lawyer said staff thought he was high on meth, but a later toxicology report detected only his prescription.
The man awaits a hearing to determine whether he is a danger to himself or others.
The news report from KLKN-TV below shows footage of the incident:
