WOODLAND, Calif. — During an arraignment hearing in Yolo County Superior Court this week, Judge William Lebov set bail for a man accused of a months-long vandalism spree allegedly driven by a delusional belief that the victim’s home was his own, despite pleas from the victim and arguments from the defense that the case involved a serious mental health crisis requiring evaluation.
The accused is charged with felony vandalism and misdemeanor petty theft and vandalism. The allegations stem from a series of incidents targeting a single victim’s property over several months.
A victim advocate read a detailed statement from the victim. The statement described eight separate attacks, including smashed car windshields, a shattered bedroom window and a broken fence, which the victim attributed to the accused’s “delusion” that he owned the victim’s house.
“He seems to think my house is his,” the victim’s statement read. It detailed an escalating pattern that began with letters and culminated in repeated property destruction. “I need to feel safe in my own home again, and the only way for me to feel safe is with him locked away or in a mental hospital,” the victim pleaded.
In response to the allegations, Deputy Public Defender Lisa Lance suggested the need for a mental health assessment, asking the court to consider Penal Code 1368, which calls for a pause in proceedings. This raised the question of whether the accused was mentally fit to stand trial or required intervention beyond standard criminal processing.
The court did not directly address the defense’s implied request for a competency evaluation during the hearing. Despite the plea from the victim and arguments from the defense that the case involved a serious mental health crisis requiring evaluation, Judge Lebov ruled to set bail at $10,000 for the felony charge and $1,000 for the misdemeanor, effectively moving the case forward without ordering a mental health evaluation.
The court also issued a criminal protective order prohibiting the accused from contacting the victim or going within 100 yards of the victim’s residence.
The case was set for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 9.
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