Posted in Felonies on March 13, 2014
Jessica B. VanWechel, 30, is accused of killing a 65-year-old man in a hit-and-run last October in Vancouver.
VanWechel has been in jail since February 26 and held on $75,000 bail. She was scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, charged with hit-and-run death and vehicular homicide. Her court-appointed Vancouver defense attorney requested a postponement for a mental competency evaluation, which has been granted. Her attorney said that there had been issues at the jail with his client on suicide watch, so he wanted to be cautious.
There will be a hearing on April 17 to review the competency evaluation. The judge ordered a stay on legal proceedings until the evaluation is completed and reviewed. It will determine VanWechel’s ability to assist in her defense, but does not address all possible mental health issues she may have.
VanWechel was allegedly texting when she struck Stephen D. Dewey, 65, on Mill Plain Boulevard. She then fled the scene without helping the man or contacting authorities. A court affidavit said that the traffic signal had turned green while Dewey was still walking through the intersection, using a walker. He was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center and died from blunt head trauma a week later.
Prosecutors said that VanWechel told a friend she had been looking at a text message when she hit Dewey and that she fled because she didn’t have insurance. Pieces of a vehicle were found at the scene that matched the color and damage of VanWechel’s Toyota.
Source: The Columbian, “Mental evaluation ordered for Mill Plain hit-and-run suspect,” Paris Achen, March 13, 2014.
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